California wildfire death toll rises to at least 16, more than 37K acres burned

The death toll from the California wildfires has risen to 16, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner.

Crews are scrambling to contain the spreading flames before strong winds return that could push the flames into some of the city’s most popular areas.

The medical examiner’s office says five of the deaths were in the Palisades Fire, while 11 people were killed in the Eaton fire.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has imposed a curfew on evacuated areas affected by the Palisades and Eaton wildfires from 6pm to 6am local time.

“Law enforcement will strictly enforce this curfew to protect you and allow emergency workers to work effectively,” the department told X. “Your safety is always our top priority.”

CALIFORNIANS ‘FURIOUS’ Amid EXPENSIVE FOREST FIRES, WONDER WHERE HIGHER TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING: Local Researcher

The previous confirmed death toll before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected the number to rise as teams with cadaver dogs searched the area. Authorities have established a center where people can report missing people. There was fear that the winds might move the fires towards J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings are leaving more and more homeowners in awe.

As of Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported that the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires have burned about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires are approximately 59 square miles.

Officials estimate 37,000 acres have burned.

In an online briefing Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, and more than 700 people were sheltering in nine shelters.

Crews from California and nine other states are part of an ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including firefighters who recently arrived from Mexico, he said.

With Cal Fire reporting the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% Saturday night, the battle will continue.

“The weather is still critical and another round of strong winds is expected to start on Monday,” said Traum.

Kevin Marshall inspects his mother’s belongings destroyed in a fire in the Pacific Palisades area of ​​Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (AP Photo/John Locher)

IMPORTANT PHONE NUMBERS FOR LOS ANGELES CITIZENS AND HOW TO HELP THEM

As of Saturday, the unincorporated community of Altadena has been closed to residents due to the Eaton Fire. The department has modified evacuation orders and warnings for the following areas within the City of La Canada Flintridge: North of Knight Way, Gould Canyon Trail and East of Oakwood Avenue, Angeles Crest Highway at the turn to Gould Mesa Road and Starlight Crest Drive, and the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

“An Evacuation Order is required: you will leave immediately due to imminent danger (eg, wildfire or flood). Ignoring this puts people’s lives at risk and may interfere with emergency efforts,” the department wrote to X. “Evacuation Alert is a precautionary measure. : be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen. Although not mandatory, it is strongly advised that you are prepared to travel for your own safety.

Orders are being lifted for other areas within the City of La Canada Flintridge, including all residential areas within the city limits from Angeles Crest Highway east to Oakwood Avenue, North of Angeles Crest Highway on the West bend to Haskel Street, North of Foothill Boulevard to Knight Way and the Gould Canyon Trail intersection at Crown Avenue, and East to Varo Road, the department said.

In this photo provided by Maxar Technologies, the Palisades Fire burns south of Encono Reservoir, upper left, in Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 11, 2025. (Maxar Technologies via AP)

The department also announced the reopening of communities affected by the Eaton Fire from 3 pm local time on Friday. Orders are being lifted and reopened for residents of the City of Bradbury, and the estates of Bradbury, and the City of Duarte. The department said it will “be very active in these high-traffic and displaced areas over the next few days to ensure the protection of our citizens and their property.”

“All other road closures and areas issued by the EATON FIRE remain in effect,” the department wrote on Facebook.

The National Weather Service warned that Santa Ana’s strong winds could return soon. Those winds are largely blamed for turning the wildfires into flash floods that leveled entire areas around the city that haven’t seen much rain in more than eight months. The fire also threatened to jump onto Interstate 405 and densely populated areas in the Hollywood Hills and San Fernando Valley.

CLICK HERE FOR THE FOX NEWS PROGRAM

The fires that started on Tuesday north of downtown LA have burned more than 12,000 structures. Firefighters made the first progress Friday afternoon on the Eaton Fire north of Pasadena, which has burned more than 7,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartments, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. Most of the evacuation orders from the area have been lifted, officials said.

The first estimate of AccuWeather puts the damage and economic losses so far between 135 billion dollars and 150 billion dollars.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.