Update, 9:36 p.m.:
While authorities say efforts to contain the Sunset Fire appear to be successful, nearby institutions like the Hollywood Bowl, Comedy Store and Laugh Factory are closing down just in case.
“Due to the Sunset Fire, we have received evacuation orders and all Hollywood Bowl staff have safely evacuated the premises. We extend our deepest gratitude to the firefighters who are working tirelessly to protect our community,” the Hollywood Bowl said in a statement Wednesday night.
Meanwhile The Laugh Factory said on Instagram, “Due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, The Comedy Store will be closed on January 8th and 9th. We prioritize the safety of our staff, performers, and audience.”
And The Comedy Store canceled shows on the same night, vowing that customers would be refunded. “Due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, The Comedy Store will be closed on January 8th and 9th. We prioritize the safety of our staff, performers, and audience… All ticket holders for January 8th-9th will receive a FULL refund,” the venue said in part on Instagram.
Meanwhile, sporadic fires broke out at houses in Studio City, on the opposite side of the Hollywood Hills from the Sunset Fire. As of this writing the fires are constrained to individual houses and nearby brush and have not expanded to the level of threat posed by the other fires.
UPDATE 6:10 p.m.:
A new fire erupted early Wednesday evening in the Hollywood Hills near Runyon Canyon, just west of the Hollywood Bowl. And officials have ordered mandatory evacuations for an area bounded by Laurel Canyon Boulevard on the west, Mulholland Drive on the north, the 101 Freeway on the east and Hollywood Boulevard on the south.
The extent of the blaze, now known as the Sunset Fire, is not yet known but as of this writing it appeared to be moving south toward Hollywood Blvd.
UPDATE 5:30 p.m.
Business owners and Hollywood industryites were busy Wednesday setting up relief efforts as thousands of Los Angeles residents were displaced from their homes by raging wildfires. Airbnb offered housing and Planet Fitness opened its facilities to fire victims, while several restaurants offered free meals to those impacted by the blaze.
Meanwhile, the Hollywood-supported nonprofit Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF) started up a disaster relief fund called “Defy: Disaster” for first responders.
UPDATE 3:17 p.m.
Five people have died in the Eaton fire ravaging Altadena and parts of Pasadena, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Wednesday afternoon. The previous death toll was two. Luna tells KNX News there’s no additional information available about the three newly reported deaths.
UPDADTE 2:45 p.m.
The city of Santa Monica issued an expanded mandatory evacuation order Wednesday afternoon to include all areas north of Montana Avenue from the beach to 11th Street. The city had previously announced mandatory evacuations for areas north of San Vicente Boulevard from Ocean Boulevard to 26th Street.
UPDATE 1 p.m.:
President-elect Donald Trump blamed Gavin Newsom for the wildfire devastation sweeping Los Angeles’ western and northern regions, calling the California governor “incompetent” in a Truth Social post Wednesday. Trump said the Democrat’s water restoration policies were the reason for dry hydrants and other issues battling the catastrophic blaze: “Now the ultimate price is being paid. … He is to blame for this.”
Meanwhile, Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong questioned Mayor Karen Bass’ recent slashing of the L.A. Fire Department’s budget by $23 million. In a post on X, Soon-Shiong wrote that Bass’ decision, coupled with reports of empty fire hydrants, raised “serious questions” about her leadership, saying “Competence matters.”
UPDATE 12:00 p.m.
Hollywood was reeling from the devastating wildfires still raging through the Los Angeles area, as the Critics Choice Awards were postponed, Friday’s AFI Awards luncheon was put off and the BAFTA Tea Party was canceled altogether. Nixed industry events were stacking up, including premieres for “On Call,” “Unstoppable,” “Better Man” and “The Pitt,” while the SAG Awards canceled its annual in-person nominations.
The fires also shut down several TV and film productions, with a growing list that included “Hacks” and “Grey’s Anatomy.”
UPDATE 10 a.m.:
Extreme Santa Ana winds continued to whip three major wildfires in the Los Angeles area Wednesday morning, with 80 mph gusts spreading destruction in the Palisades, Altadena and Pasadena, and to the north near Sylmar. Officials said more than 1,000 homes, businesses, schools and other buildings had burned, and two deaths were reported overnight.
The region’s most destructive wildfires in memory had claimed more than 3,000 acres in the celebrity enclave of the Pacific Palisades; the Eaton fire burned more than 2,000 acres in Altadena and Pasadena, where the fatalities were reported; and the Hurst fire near Sylmar, where 500 acres were burning at the foot of the Angeles National Forest. A small army of multi-agency firefighters battled the fires, but they were yet to contain even a percentage of one.
Entire neighborhoods in the Palisades and along the coast lay in ruins. Luxury homes, restaurants and landmarks were reduced to smoldering rubble, though the Getty Villa, home to countless antiquities and perched in the middle of the destruction, has been spared so far.
The devastation continued spreading through Altadena, where dozens of homes were burning to the ground.
PREVIOUSLY:
Los Angeles’ Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires each remain at 0% containment as of Wednesday morning, as hundreds of thousands of locals have either received evacuation orders or warning notices after the fires began Tuesday.
The Los Angeles Fire Department held a press conference at 8 a.m. Wednesday to offer an update on the county’s unprecedented urban wildfire disaster — including two civilian deaths related to the Eaton fire.
“We have well over 5,000 acres that have burned, and the fire is growing. We have no percentage of containment. We have an estimated 1,000 structures destroyed, and also no reported fatalities and a high number of significant injuries to residents who did not evacuate,” LAFD Chief Anthony Marrone said of the Palisades fire. “In addition to first responders who are on the fire land, we have over 1,000 personnel assigned, and the cause of the fire is unknown. However, it is under investigation.”
Of the Eaton fire, Marrone said: “We have over 2,000 acres burning at this time, and the fire continues to grow with 0% containment. We have over 500 personnel assigned and, unfortunately, we have two reported fatalities to civilians, unknown cause at this time, and we do have a number of significant injuries,” he continued of the Eaton fire. “We have over 100 structures destroyed, and the cause of the fire is unknown and under investigation.”
“We are absolutely not out of danger yet,” L.A. City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley added. “Within the city of Los Angeles, with these two major brush fires, our department has responded to 3,624 9-1-1 calls for service. And to put that in perspective, our average is just under 1,500 calls in a 24-hour period.”
Emergency services are stretched to their limits with water-drop aircrafts grounded until conditions clear up. Officials also ask that people conserve water and stay off the roads. More than 80,000 locals are under mandatory evacuations and two people have been arrested for looting in impacted areas.
Public evacuation shelters are currently in operation at the Westwood Recreation Center, the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, the Pasadena Convention Center and El Camino Real Charter High School. The Altadena fire station itself was even evacuated.
More than 1,400 firefighters have been deployed, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom, with assistance from both nearby and out-of-state departments and further asks out to anyone with firefighting experience. At least 19 local school districts are closed for Wednesday.
The Santa Ana winds — the worst in over a decade — reached 99 mph in Altadena overnight with similar stats in surrounding areas, per the National Weather Service, which noted, “Critical fire weather conditions are expected to continue on Thursday for portions of Southern California.” Local red flag restrictions remain in place until further notice, per L.A. Mayor Karen Bass, though she herself is en route back from Dallas.
In Hollywood, many industry events have been halted due to the fires and weather. Premieres for “On Call,” “Unstoppable,” “Better Man” and “The Pitt” were all axed, and the SAG Awards decided to cancel their in-person nominations.
Additionally, Runyon Canyon, Griffith Park, the L.A Zoo, the Hollywood Reservoir, the Hollywood Sign, Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk all closed on Wednesday, and President Joe Biden even postponed a Tuesday speaking engagement in Joshua Tree due to the winds.
