Summary

Media caption,

Watch: Headteacher returns to school destroyed in fire

  1. Watch: Before-and-after footage shows devastation of Palisades firepublished at 12:35 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    The Palisades fire started on Tuesday morning in Los Angeles and remains the largest of four active fires still burning.

    In this 46-second video, footage shows the devastation caused by the blaze - which has left scorched earth, burnt out buildings and streets covered in ash and debris in its wake.

    The footage showing the buildings before the fires and was filmed in March last year by lifestyle bloggers Simran and Ishaan. A Reuters cameraman retraces their steps to show the impact of the inferno.

    Media caption,

    Before and after footage reveals scale of damage after LA wildfires

  2. What to know about the health warnings in place in LApublished at 12:19 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Various health warnings are in place across Los Angeles because of the wildfires.

    Here's the latest:

    Water: Those living in and around the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles have been told not to drink tap water due to "the potential of fire-related contaminants that may have entered the water system".

    Bottled water is being distributed at Westwood Recreation Centre and adjacent to the Brentwood Country Club.

    Air blowers: All areas of Los Angeles County have been told not to use power air blowers, such as leaf blowers, to "limit the health impacts of fire, ash, and smoke" and "particular matter caused by the Critical Fire Events and Windstorm conditions", LA County's public health department says.

    Oceans: The health department is also urging residents not to swim, surf or play in ocean waters from Surfrider Beach to Dockweiler State Beach at World Way, which covers a 20-mile stretch.

    "People entering these waters could become ill," the warning says.

  3. Hundreds of pets rescued from streets thanks to volunteer effortspublished at 11:59 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Two cats that have been rescued from the fires in Los Angeles

    As efforts to contain the fires raging in California continue, some are working hard to rescue and treat animals on the streets.

    Ladan Davia, who is the founder of a cat rescue organisation called Friends of Normie, says that with the help of the community, they have rescued hundreds of pets.

    There are only two people working at the rescue and they were not prepared for a crisis of this scale, she says.

    "The outpour of love and volunteers we've got to help these animals in need is unbelievable. We’ve never seen anything like this, people are stepping up to help," she says.

    She adds that many of the animals they are treating have been injured while fleeing or have upper respiratory and eye infections from the poor air quality caused by the fires.

  4. Price gouging laws are being ignored by landlords, says estate agentpublished at 11:39 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Jason Oppenheim shot from shoulders up, smiling and looking to rightImage source, Getty Images

    Let's bring you a bit more about reports of price gouging by landlords in Los Angeles, which we reported on earlier.

    Speaking a little earlier on BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Jason Oppenheim, a real estate agent in Los Angeles, says some landlords are breaking the law by raising rents more than 10% higher than pre-disaster prices.

    "We're having landlords taking advantage of the situation," says Oppenheim, who stars in the reality show Selling Sunset about LA's luxury real estate market.

    "There are thousands of people who are displaced...the hotels are overwhelmed," he says.

    Oppenheim says he sent a client to a rental property which was listed for $13,000 (£11,000) a month. "(My client) offered $20,000 (£16,400) a month and he offered to pay six months upfront and the landlord said 'no, I want $23,000 (£19,000) a month'," he says.

    "There are price gouging laws in California, they are just being ignored right now...it's illegal to take advantage of a natural disaster."

  5. Looters dressed as firefighters arrested in LApublished at 11:13 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    At least 20 people have been arrested for looting evacuated homes in Los Angeles, including two people who posed as firefighters, a Los Angeles police captain says.

    "Looting is an issue, the number of arrests is continuously growing," Capt Mike Lorenz of the Los Angeles Police Department told a community meeting in the Palisades yesterday evening.

    He adds: "We even made arrests of two individuals that were actually posing as firefighters coming in and out of houses".

    Fox News reports that some LA residents are hiring private security to help protect their home from looters. Sean Ben, founder of the security company Nastec, tells the network his company is providing round-the-clock security in some neighbourhoods.

    A "no looters" sign is placed on a road after residents fled from the Eaton FireImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A "no looters" sign is placed on a road after residents fled from the Eaton Fire

  6. California officials call for Trump to visit as president-elect critiques disaster responsepublished at 10:49 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    California governor Gavin Newsom (right) and LA mayor Karen Bass visit areas of the Palisades fire with authorities in background and dark smoke clouds behind a buildingImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    California governor Gavin Newsom (right) and LA mayor Karen Bass visit areas of the Palisades fire

    California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles county officials say president-elect Donald Trump has yet to accept multiple invites to see fire-hit areas. Officials hope a visit will speed up recovery efforts.

    Newsom, a Democrat, posted a letter on X, external which he says was sent to Trump on Friday, inviting him to "meet with the Americans affected by these fires." and "see the devastation first-hand".

    Separately, LA County supervisor Kathryn Barger also posted the letter, external she sent to Trump, saying he visited the area during his first term after another wildfire in 2018 which sped up the deployment of federal aid.

    LA's mayor Karen Bass told reporters at a press conference that she had not yet heard from Trump.

    Trump has openly criticised Newsom and local authorities on their response to the blazes. The president-elect has called for the California governor to resign over the fires, and writes on his Truth Social platform that the disaster is "one of the worst catastrophes in the history of our Country. They just can't put out the fires? What's wrong with them?".

  7. LA fire claims life of man who tried to save his homepublished at 10:25 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Headshot of Victor Shaw, wearing a cap and sunglasses with a street scene behind himImage source, Family of Victor Shaw
    Image caption,

    Altadena resident Victor Shaw, 66, died while trying to defend his home from the fires

    Officials in Los Angeles say at least 16 people have died since wildfires started on Tuesday. Officials fear the number is likely to rise.

    Here's what we know about some of the victims, according to family members and media reports.

    The Eaton Fire has killed 11 people. Among them are Victor Shaw, 66, who died trying to defend his home in Altadena, and Erliene Kelly, 83, who did not believe the fire would reach her home, her family says.

    Also in Altadena, Anthony Mitchell, 67, and his adult son Justin - who was in his early 20s and had cerebral palsy - both died as they tried to escape the fires.

    The PalisadesFire has killed five people including Randall Miod, 55, a long-time Malibu resident, and Annette Rossilli, 85, who reportedly refused to evacuate her home.

  8. Fire victims in need of supplies hope for donationspublished at 10:00 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    People across Los Angeles have lost their homes, businesses and personal items - and many have already started trying to rebuild what they have lost.

    Basic items like laundry detergent and rubber gloves are in short supply with some in Pasadena - where the Eaton fire continues to burn - asking for donations with hand-made signs on the roadside.

    Nearby at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, displaced residents trawl through mountains of donations, looking for blankets, shoes, clothing and toilet paper.

    A person standing on side of the road holds a sign "We need cleaning supplies - trash bags, bleach, rags, rubber gloves, laundry detergent"Image source, Reuters
    Two people stand on the roadside with signs asking for cleaning supplies and another sign saying "We love you Pasadena"Image source, Reuters
    Piles of clothing and bedding with a hand-written sign saying Infants/Baby bedding at the Santa Anita Park in ArcadiaImage source, Reuters
    A person carrying three rolls of toilet paper at a distribution centre at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, PasadenaImage source, Reuters
    People, including a child, carrying blankets and bedding at a distribution centre at Santa Anita Park in Arcadia, PasadenaImage source, Reuters
  9. Kamala Harris among those with property in Brentwood suburbpublished at 09:40 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Torrance Fire Department vehicles parked as smoke billows from the Palisades Fire, threatening homes in the Brentwood areaImage source, Reuters

    As we've been reporting, parts of the upscale area of Brentwood are under evacuation orders after becoming threatened by the spreading Palisades Fire.

    Among those who are reported to have homes in the suburb are US Vice-President Kamala Harris, basketball star LeBron James, actor and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, Disney CEO Bob Iger, and rapper and producer Dr. Dre.

    The Pasadena local fire chief, Chad Augustin, says residents should be prepared to leave the area if advised to do so.

  10. California's neighbours dispatch reinforcementspublished at 09:20 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    California's neighbouring states have dispatched crews to help Los Angeles battle the four fires that continue to ravage the city.

    Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, Oregon and Washington have sent firefighters to Los Angeles, according to a report from the BBC's US partner CBS.

    The US's closest neighbouring countries, Canada and Mexico, have also dispatched crews.

    More than 70 firefighters and disaster relief workers from Mexico's National Forestry Commission and Ministry of Defence were deployed to Los Angeles yesterday to help bolster efforts to contain the fires. That is in addition to another group of Mexican firefighters who reportedly arrived in Los Angeles on Friday.

    Canada is preparing to send firefighters and specialist equipment to the area and coordinators say fire crews could arrive as soon as Monday.

    "These reinforcements are crucial not only for containment efforts but also to provide much-needed relief to the brave firefighters on the frontlines," says the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in a post on X.

    Approximately 14,000 personnel are currently battling the Palisades fire, according to California Governor Gavin Newsom.

    A Mexican military and fire aid team gather before boarding a plane bound for California to help fight wildfiresImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    A Mexican military and fire aid team gather before boarding a plane bound for California to help fight wildfires

  11. LA water department says reports of broken fire hydrants are 'false'published at 09:01 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Firefighter holding an empty hose and walking away from a fire hydrantImage source, Reuters

    The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) says claims that fire hydrants in Pacific Palisades were broken before the fires are "misleading and false".

    In a statement, the department says it "repaired every hydrant needing repairs as reported by LA Fire Department inspectors".

    The LADWP says it had an updated list of all hydrants needing repairs ahead of the fire and that they were all operational.

    It adds that about 20% of fire hydrants in the Palisades area - and mostly in the higher elevations - lost water pressure "due to unprecedented and extreme demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support". In those cases, water tankers were dispatched to help firefighters.

    The update comes amid claims that firefighters had run out of water or that fire hydrants had low pressure, hampering their efforts to tackle the blazes.

  12. Displaced Californians face steep costs as officials warn against price gougingpublished at 08:42 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    A man hugs a family member and cries while viewing the remains of his home burned in the Eaton fire in the Altadena area of Los Angeles county,Image source, Getty Images

    People who have either lost their homes or are displaced by fire evacuation orders say price gouging incidents are preventing them from finding new accommodation.

    Maya Lieberman, a 50-year-old stylist, tells AFP news agency that price gouging is "going haywire", and that she is unable to find anywhere to live.

    "We put in an application at a house... that was listed at $17,000 (£14,000) a month, and they told us if we didn't pay $30,000, we weren't going to get it. They told me they have people ready to offer more and pay cash. It's absolutely insane," Lieberman says.

    TV producer Alex Smith, who has been forced to leave his home, says he has friends who booked hotels outside Los Angeles but were asked to pay more upon arrival.

    Officials in California warn that people engaging in price gouging, looting, and scamming are breaking the law and will be held accountable. "We've seen businesses and landlords … jack up the price," California Attorney General Rob Bonta told a news conference on Saturday.

    "It's called price gouging. It is illegal. You cannot do it. It is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and fines," he said, adding prices can only surge by 10% or less during disaster situations.

    "This is California law [and] it's in place to protect those suffering from a tragedy," he said.

  13. At least 35,000 still without power in Los Angelespublished at 08:22 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Street scene showing a downed power line, a burned out car and debris across the roadImage source, Reuters

    About 35,000 homes and businesses have no electricity in Los Angeles, according to a site that tracks blackouts.

    The latest estimates from Poweroutage.us shows that about 17,500 customers of electricity provider Southern California Edison are without power.

    In addition, about 17,700 customers of Los Angeles Department of Water & Power and about 100 customers with Pasadena Water and Power have no electricity.

    In an update a few hours ago, the LA Department of Water & Power says since the fires started on Tuesday, its teams have restored power to more than 350,000 customers, with more than 100 crews prioritising repairs on downed wires.

  14. 'Everything is gone': Agony on a tight-knit LA street razed by infernopublished at 08:09 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Max Matza & Christal Hayes
    Reporting from Altadena, Caifornia

    One resident searches through rubble

    It all started on Tuesday night. The Santa Ana winds had been fierce much of the day.

    Professional chef Daron Anderson was in his front yard just after 18:00 local time trying to secure items from flying away.

    Across the street at 296 West Las Flores Drive, Rachel Gillespie was taking down Christmas decorations, concerned about her plastic icicles and patio furniture.

    They exchanged worried glances. "This doesn't look good, does it?" she remarked.

    Residents on this tight-knit Altadena street, where neighbours have watched each other start families and the children who once played in the streets grow up, have had their worlds upended, and say they now barely recognise the area.

    "God, everything is gone," says Daron, his voice cracking.

    But some things remain amidst the ruins. A scorched lemon tree sits in the lawn, some fruit still warm to the touch.

    "If I can get a seed, we can replant one," he says, grabbing a handful.

    "It's like a way you can start over."

  15. Winds expected to surge in LApublished at 07:43 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Simon King
    BBC weather presenter and meteorologist

    Winds are picking up again around Los Angeles into early Sunday.

    Santa Ana winds with north or north-easterly wind gusts up to 60-70mph (96-112kph) are expected over the high ground. Around the more prone coastal and valley areas, there will be gusts of 35-55mph (56-88kph).

    By Sunday afternoon, an onshore wind - a switch in direction - will develop around coastal areas.

    Another round of strong Santa Ana winds is expected on Tuesday and Wednesday.

    While there is still a bit of uncertainty in the detail, there is concern that wind speeds could be higher than the last few days and possibly as strong as the initial Santa Ana wind event last Tuesday when the Palisades fire first started.

    Beyond that, a significant break of the strong winds could be likely from Wednesday but long-range forecasts are hinting at yet another Santa Ana wind event by next weekend.

  16. Fire authorities warn against flying unauthorised dronespublished at 07:21 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    A Super Scooper drops ocean water on a hillside as the Palisades fire ragesImage source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    A Super Scooper drops ocean water on a hillside

    US media reports that privately-owned civilian drones are being flown in areas impacted by the fires and causing disruption to aircraft battling the flames.

    More than 30 drones flying within the temporary flight restriction area of the Palisades fire have been detected over the past 24 hours, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson Sheila Kelliher.

    Officials note that it is illegal to fly drones in areas where there is a temporary flight restriction in place.

    A large Super Scooper aircraft named Quebec 1 on loan from Canada was damaged and grounded last week after hitting an unauthorised drone near the Palisades fire. The aircraft sustained wing damage and remains grounded and out of service. There were no reported injuries.

    If drones are detected near firefighting aircraft, it means operations have to be suspended, Kelliher says. "This disruption compromises structure defence and critical life saving efforts", she says.

    "Please remember, when you fly we can’t, it truly puts us all in danger," she says.

  17. Evacuation order extends to Brentwoodpublished at 07:05 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Smoke rolls in from the hills on which mansions are scatteredImage source, Reuters

    Late on Saturday local time, authorities issued new evacuation orders for eastern communities threatened by the Palisades fire.

    The latest orders include parts of the Brentwood area, a quintessential upscale LA neighbourhood with tree-lined streets and Italian eateries.

    It's also home to the world-famous Getty Center art museum, which has now been evacuated.

  18. Pink fire retardant blankets LA as crews try to halt inferno's spreadpublished at 06:49 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Crews have been dropping fire retardant over the Palisades Fire in an effort to stop its spread. The chemical is coloured bright pink to help crews see where it has been dropped.

    It is made of salts - normally fertilizers - which slow the spread of a fire by changing the way it burns.

    A plane flies low over hills, leaving a trail of bright pink substance behind itImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    In preparation for desert winds that are forecast to pick up today, aerial crews have been bombarding the Palisades fire with fire retardant to hold it back

    Flowers and a car are covered by fire retardant as the Palisades Fire, one of simultaneous blazes that have ripped across Los Angeles County, burns at the Mandeville CanyonImage source, Reuters
    Image caption,

    Retardant speckles flowers and coats a vehicle on a residential street

    A backyard swimming pool is bright pinkImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    The foamy substance was dropped over leafy areas, homes and backyards in a bid to halt the spread of the flames

    A group of firefighters in uniform lie on the ground on a slope under trees. The entire area is stained pink by the retardantImage source, EPA
    Image caption,

    Retardant covers the foliage where exhausted firefighters took a break

    flame retardant is seen on the mailbox of a home in the Mandeville Canyon neighborhood of Los Angeles, California,Image source, Getty Images
    Image caption,

    The bright pink colouring helps crews see where they've dropped the substance

  19. One third of eastern Malibu is 'gone', mayor sayspublished at 06:12 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Malibu has lost one-third of the eastern edge of the city, Mayor Doug Stewart says.

    Addressing a community meeting on Saturday evening local time, Stewart says that Malibu has faced three fires in three months, but the Palisades blaze has been the most destructive.

    He says the "beautiful homes" along the Pacific Coast Highway are gone, and so too is the Big Rock community.

    "We have a tremendous rebuilding ahead of us but we are not out of the fire-fight front yet," Stewart says, explaining that forecast gusty desert winds would complicate the efforts of crews tackling the blaze on Sunday.

  20. Which fires are burning right now?published at 05:55 Greenwich Mean Time 12 January

    Authorities in Los Angeles are currently managing four main blazes around the city.

    The largest is the Palisades fire, which is 11% contained and covers 23,654 acres, according to Cal Fire, external. This fire is threatening the affluent enclave of Brentwood, home to the Getty art museum, as well as parts of Encino and Mandeville Canyon.

    The second largest is the Eaton fire in the north of the city around Pasadena, covering 14,118 acres of which 15% is contained.

    The Kenneth fire is 1,052 acres and 90% contained, while the Hurst fire is 799 acres and 76% contained.