Los Angeles Wildfires, January 2025

• Multiple large wildfires have erupted in and around Los Angeles (LA), California, since early January 2025.
• These fires have torn through dry vegetation, devastating entire neighborhoods.
• By January 15, 2025, over 12,000 structures, including homes, businesses, and schools, were destroyed.
• At least 25 people have died because of the blazes.
• Over 100,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes.
• Many of these fires remain uncontained.
• The wildfires are largely driven by the severe drought affecting Los Angeles.
• Downtown LA has recorded only 0.2 inches (5mm) of rain since July 2024.
• This recent period is the second-driest in nearly 150 years of record-keeping.
• Conditions are even worse across the rest of Southern California, with some areas experiencing no rain this season.
• Powerful Santa Ana winds, reaching speeds of 50 to 100 miles per hour (80 to 160 km/h).
• These hot, dry winds further reduce humidity and dehydrate vegetation, making it highly flammable.
• The winds rapidly spread embers, fueling the fires and making them difficult to control.
• Firefighters are battling several fires in the Los Angeles area, with the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire being the most concerning.

Palisades Fire

• The Palisades Fire began on January 7, 2025.
• It is the largest and most destructive fire in California's history.
• By January 14, 2025, it had burned over 23,000 acres (9,300 hectares).
• At least 10,000 structures have been destroyed across some of LA's wealthiest neighborhoods, including Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Santa Monica.
• The fire has claimed nine lives.
• By January 15, 2025, the blaze was only 21 percent contained.
• It continues to threaten neighborhoods in West LA.

Eaton Fire

• The Eaton Fire also broke out on January 7, 2025.
• It has devastated communities in northern LA.
• By January 14, 2025, the blaze had destroyed more than 1,400 homes, businesses, schools, and other structures.
• At least 16 people have died, making it one of the deadliest fires in California history.
• By January 15, 2025, it was 45 percent contained.
• The Palisades and Eaton Fires rank among the most destructive in California's history, with damages estimated at $250 to $275 billion.
• California Governor Gavin Newsom has proposed easing some of the state's strict building laws to expedite reconstruction.
• Many residents in fire-ravaged areas had already lost their insurance coverage due to high risk and lack adequate fire policies.
• President Joe Biden has pledged federal funds to cover firefighting costs for the next 180 days.
• He also approved a one-time payment of $770 to affected residents for essentials, like food and water.
• Lawmakers must approve additional financial aid to rebuild the affected areas.
• The fires and hurricane-force winds were unprecedented
• Twenty-nine people are known to have died across the Los Angeles area after destructive wildfires fueled by dry conditions and powerful winds erupted Jan. 7.
• More than 18,000 structures were destroyed or damaged and roughly tens of thousands people were forced from their homes.

Multiple large wildfires in Los Angeles since January 2025 have devastated neighborhoods due to drought and Santa Ana winds. Over 12,000 structures were destroyed, with 25 deaths and 100,000 evacuations. The blazes are fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds.