Containment of Palisades Fire Rises to 22%

For the latest on all the fires affecting Southern California visit Fire.ca.gov. For LA County visit LACounty.gov/emergency or LAFD.org/alerts. For safety tips and other information on how to prepare for emergencies and evacuations visit fire.lacounty.gov.

PACIFIC PALISADES (CNS) - The deadly Palisades Fire was 22% contained Thursday as a much-feared Santa Ana wind event wound down without dramatically impacting the firefight.

As of Thursday morning, the fire that erupted Jan. 7 had scorched 23,713 acres, according to Cal Fire. It was 18% contained Tuesday evening, but crews were able to take advantage of favorable weather conditions to build containment, reaching 22% Thursday morning.

Red flag warnings of critical fire danger had been in place over the burn area -- and much of the Southland -- through 6 p.m. Wednesday, with some areas under the alert until Thursday afternoon.

But while wind speeds increased in much of the region, the Palisades Fire area appeared to have been spared any wind-generated flare-ups. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said the winds "did not cause any expansion of the Palisades Fire."

She said crews, in addition to building containment, were focused on finding "hot spots and putting them out."

Winds are expected to reduce dramatically over the next few days and remain generally calm through the weekend, but another Santa Ana wind event is in the forecast for early next week.

At least nine people have died in fire, although authorities said they anticipate the number of fatalities to continue rising as crews begin sifting through the ash and rubble.

Los Angeles Police Department Chief Jim McDonnell said the department is investigating five missing-person reports in the Palisades Fire area. Sheriff Robert Luna said his agency has seven active missing-person cases in unincorporated areas impacted by the fire.

At least 5,000 structures are believed to have been destroyed or damaged in the blaze that has been burning since Jan. 7. That number is also expected to rise as more assessments are done in the burn area.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Authorities warned residents near the fire areas that air quality continues to be highly unhealthy. People were urged to suspend the use of leaf blowers, to stay inside with doors and windows closed as much as possible, and to wear masks if they do go outside.

Southern California Gas Co. officials had shut off service to about 13,600 customers in the Palisades Fire area for safety reasons, but the utility reported Wednesday that it has restored service for 1,279 of those customers. The Gas Co. has established an information booth for residents that will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Pavilions store at 29211 Heathercliff Road in Malibu to provide information for customers.

The massive mandatory evacuation zone from fire stretches from the Pacific Ocean to the west, the San Diego (405) Freeway to the east, San Vicente Boulevard to the south and the Encino Reservoir to the north.

Evacuation warnings were issued for the following two areas: Sunset Boulevard to the south, Mullholland Drive to the north, Bellagio Road/Roscomare Road to the east and the San Diego Freeway to the west; along with separate zone that included Mulholland/Sepulveda Boulevard to the south, the San Diego Freeway to the east, Ventura Boulevard to the north and Louise Avenue to the west.

Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, says "the Getty Center and Getty Villa remain safe from the Palisades Fire, and we continue to monitor the situation closely."

Fleming said the Getty Center in Brentwood "will likely remain closed until Monday, Jan. 20," while the Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades is closed until further notice.

"We remain acutely aware of our affected staff, our Getty neighbors, and the whole Los Angeles region, and extend our heartfelt sympathy and hope for everyone's safety," Fleming said.

As conditions changed Monday, some mandatory evacuation areas were reduced to evacuation warnings. Evacuations were likely to continue fluctuating based on fire behavior and wind conditions.

Evacuation centers were set up at the following locations:

-- Westwood Recreation Center, 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd.;

-- Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center, 14201 Huston St., Sherman Oaks;

-- Lanark Recreation Center, 21816 Lanark St., Canoga Park;

-- Calvary Community Church, 5495 Via Rocas, Westlake Village;

-- Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd.;

-- Pasadena Convention Center, 300 E. Green St.;

-- Stoner Recreation Center, 1835 Stoner Ave.;

-- Pan Pacific Recreation Center, 7600 Beverly Blvd.

Small animals were being taken at the following locations:

-- El Camino High School, 5440 Valley Circle Blvd, Woodland Hills;

-- Agoura Animal Care Center, 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills;

-- Baldwin Park Animal Care Center, 4275 Elton St., Baldwin Park;

-- Carson Animal Care Center, 216 W. Victoria St., Gardena;

-- Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon Road;

-- Downey Animal Care Center, 11258 Garfield Ave.;

-- Lancaster Animal Care Center, 5210 W. Ave I;

-- Palmdale Animal Care Center, 38550 Sierra Highway, Palmdale.

Large animals were being taken at the following locations:

-- Pomona Fairplex, 101 W. McKinley Ave., Pomona;

-- Industry Hills Expo, 16200 Temple Ave., City of Industry;

-- Los Angeles Equestrian Center, 480 Riverside Drive, Burbank;

-- Castaic Animal Care Center, 31044 Charlie Canyon Road;

-- Pico Rivera Sports Arena, 11003 Sports Arena Drive.

The American Red Cross Sheltering Site was also assisting with a mobile animal shelter for small animals only.

A curfew continues to be in effect nightly from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. in the mandatory evacuation areas in the Palisades and Eaton fire zones. Only firefighters, utility workers and law enforcement personnel are allowed in those areas.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna reported Wednesday that 47 people had been arrested in fire areas patrolled by the sheriff's department -- 36 in Eaton Fire area, and 11 in the Palisades Fire area.

McDonnell said Tuesday the LAPD had made 14 arrests in areas it patrols.

The arrests by both agencies included a variety of offenses, including curfew violations, burglary, drug and weapon possession, DUI, vandalism and ammunition possession. McDonnell said one person was arrested for suspicion of impersonating a police officer, and another for suspicion of impersonating a firefighter.

Luna said another person was arrested Tuesday night near the Palisades fire for impersonating a firefighter.

Two men in black jumpsuits were previously arrested outside Vice President Kamala Harris' Brentwood home. Two more arrests involved suspected drone-fliers above the Eaton Fire.

The Santa Monica Police Department, which implemented mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders in the northern part of the city, announced that it has made roughly 40 arrests.

Most Los Angeles Unified School District campuses reopened Monday, following several days of closures last week due to the fires. Masks were being provided to students and employees, and all open schools will be limited from conducting outdoor and athletics activities.

Students at nine LAUSD campuses that were closed due to the fire have resumed classes at alternate locations.

All Malibu campuses in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will remain closed through the end of the week, with plans to reopen them on Tuesday, following Monday's Martin Luther King Jr. holiday.

According to Cal Fire, detailed damage inspection maps for properties within the Palisades Fire footprint showing damaged or destroyed homes -- as well as homes that are not damaged or destroyed -- can be found at www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2025/1/7/palisades-fire.

Los Angeles County officials said its damage assessments can be viewed at www.recovery.lacounty.gov/palisades-fire. They will be updated daily in real time.

The Palisades Fire erupted around 10:30 a.m. Jan. 7 in the area of Piedra Morada and Monte Hermoso drives as the area was under a red flag warning for critical fire danger due to a historic wind event that saw gusts of 80 mph. It continued to grow exponentially Tuesday and Wednesday driven by heavy fuel loads and powerful Santa Ana winds.