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Vice President Kamala Harris hits insurance companies over their handling of wildfire risks

“They are canceling coverage, making it more difficult for young homeowners who are just buying their first home, not even insuring them,” Vice President Kamala Harris said, speaking Wednesday at an event hosted by the National Action Network.

Harris noted that climate change has exacerbated extreme weather events, disproportionately affecting communities of color.

LA’s Department of Water and Power sued by residents over water supply issues

A group of residents impacted by the Palisades Fire is suing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The complaint was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on Monday, according to ABC 7.

The plaintiffs allege the water supply system servicing the Pacific Palisades area “failed miserably” on the day of the fire.

“The Santa Ynez Reservoir, a 117- million-gallon water storage complex that is part of the Los Angeles water supply system was empty, and had been empty for nearly a year,” Roger Behle, one of the plaintiffs’ attorneys, said in a release.

The department said the loss of water pressure in the system had affected its ability to refill water tanks that supply the area.

“This impacted … a low percentage of hydrants in the area, mostly in the higher elevations,” the statement said. “As soon as LADWP identified the risk of losing water in the tanks and water pressure in the system, we immediately deployed potable water tankers to sustain support for firefighting efforts.” 

The Independent’s request for comment from the department was not immediately returned.

Firefighters in California are facing a rare and dangerous phenomenon: swirling fire tornadoes.

High winds combined with severely dry conditions have created a “particularly dangerous situation” in which any new fire could explode in size, according to the National Weather Service.

Meteorologist Todd Hall told the Associated Press that fire tornadoes could be created in such extreme conditions.

The National Wildfire Coordinating Group defines a fire whirl as a “spinning vortex column of ascending hot air and gases rising from a fire and carrying aloft smoke, debris and flame,” and says large whirls “have the intensity of a small tornado.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Eaton Fire evacuees return home: ‘It’s a bittersweet feeling'

 

Part of a home destroyed by the Eaton Fire still stands on Tuesday in Altadena, California. Evacuees started to return home this week (AP)

Eaton Fire evacuees are beginning to return home as officials continue to inspect the area.

Jillian Pelentay, who lives in the Kinneloa Mesa community, told ABC 7 that the past week has been emotional, but she’s thankful that her childhood home remains.

“It is a bittersweet feeling,” she said. “It’s a mix of, you know, relief but also survivor’s guilt just because you know ... I’ve seen my family, friends and friends have lost everything.”

Photos show California Department of Corrections crew work to contain Palisades Fire

Eaton Fire inches closer to 50 percent containment

A woman offered to buy an LA bride their wedding gown amid fires — then 200 people agreed to donate theirs

A kind-hearted woman on TikTok has inspired a movement to help brides impacted by the deadly and ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.

Since the fires first sparked on January 7, more than 12,000 structures have been scorched and at least 153,000 people have been displaced, forced to leave their homes, memories, and possessions behind. 

For Kelly Mosser, a marketing founder based in New York City, the devastating natural disaster left her with thoughts of how she would handle being suddenly placed under an evacuation order.

Between picture books, souvenirs, and boxes full of memorabilia, many people online have revealed the necessities and small valuables they gathered before they were forced out the door. But with the exception of Miles Teller’s wife Keleigh revealing she wasn’t able to salvage her wedding gown, Mosser noticed not many affected brides have spoken out to confirm whether they took their dresses with them.

A woman offered to buy an LA bride their wedding gown amid fires

More than 88,000 California customers have no power

More than 88,000 California customers remain without power early Wednesday morning, according to tracker PowerOutage.US.

And, over 33,000 of them are in Los Angeles County.

Kansas Republican says Trump should ‘absolutely' tell California to repeal climate rules to receive wildfire aid

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall told Fox Business host Stuart Varney on Wednesday that president-elect Donald Trump should force California to repeal climate regulations in order to receive wildfire aid. 

“Absolutely,” he said.

In pictures: Wildfire reduces Malibu home to ash

Critical fire weather conditions driven by Santa Ana winds are possible again next week, forecasters say14:47 , Julia Musto 

Winds expected to ease after Wednesday, forecasters say

While Wednesday will be “noticeably windier than yesterday” in Los Angeles County, forecasters shared some good news in the early morning hours.

“The good news is that the winds through the Santa Monica mtns will be focused on the western third of the range far away from the Palisades Fire,” the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office wrote. “The upper reaches of the Eaton fire may see an increase in winds but this is not a for sure situation.” 

The “really good news,” it said, is that Wednesday will be the “last really windy day,” with a decrease seen this afternoon. Advisory level gusts should conclude by 3 p.m. PST. Red Flag conditions will continue through the evening, with extra critical fire conditions continuing until winds subside. 

The search for lost pets is underway, LA mayor says

LAFD had 1,000 firefighters in reserve when Palisades blaze broke out

Senior Los Angeles Fire Department officials allegedly decided not to assign 1,000 extra firefighters and dozens of fire engines for emergency deployment the day the wildfires broke out – despite reports of a looming fire weather days earlier.

Firefighting personnel were not ordered to remain on duty for a second shift as winds continued to build on January 7, according to records obtained by the Los Angeles Times. It would have doubled the number of firefighters on hand to battle the newly-developed Palisades blaze. 

The LAFD is said to have only started readying firefighters and deploying additional fire engines after the fire broke out, burning ferociously, in the Pacific Palisades.

It came despite reports of a looming fire weather as early as January 3 – with the National Weather Service warning of potential “rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior” near the region if ignition occurred.

LAFD officials assert that the firefighting effort was hampered by budget cuts and low water levels for some fire hydrants.

Rory Sykes’s mother recounts her son’s miraculous life

The mother of Rory Sykes, 32, a British-born former child actor who died tragically in the Los Angeles wildfires, has recounted the moment her son “took his first step” after watching Tom Hanks in Forest Gump.

Speaking with Australia’s Channel Nine Sunday, Shelley Sykes said she endured a desperate battle to keep her son alive during his early years as he battled complex needs tied with a diagnosis of cerebral palsy.

Rory, a former Australian TV series Kiddy Kapers child star, “started having surgery as a baby”, she said. “He had nine surgeries to straighten his legs, [and] straighten his eyes, and he used to watch ‘Forrest Gump’ all the time when he was 4.

Sykes added: “He got the all-clear in his eyes at 8, but he took his first step[s] after watching Forrest Gump 400 times.”

Madeline Sherratt has more.

Rory Sykes’s mother recounts son’s miraculous life following LA wildfire death

California governor slams Republicans politicizing ‘tragic moment’12:35 , James Liddell

Almost 95,000 homes and businesses without power in SoCal

Nearly 95,000 homes and businesses have been left in blackout conditions, according to poweroutages.us.

More than 32,000 energy customers are without power in San Bernardino, 31,000 in Los Angeles, almost 13,000 in Ventura, 10,500 in Riverside, and almost 6,000 in San Diego. Imperial, Orange and Kern counties are also suffering very minor outages. 

GOP senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’

Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California “doesn’t deserve” any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.

The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didn’t object to sending the state “some money,” but not unless state leaders “change their ways.”

Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at California’s political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on “woke policies.”

Rhian Lubin has the story.

GOP senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires

Search and rescue workers comb through rubble and ruin in hunt for victims

Newsom left ‘disgusted’ with ‘predatory’ land developers10:35 , James Liddell

Death toll rises to 25

At least 25 people have been killed in the southern California wildfires, the Los Angeles county medical examiner’s office confirmed on Tuesday afternoon.

Officials said that nine of the victims died in the Palisades fire and 16 in the Eaton fire, which continues to rage across Altadena and Pasadena. 

The death toll is likely to climb, officials warn.

LA fires: Is it safe to travel to California and is LAX closed?

10:10 , James Liddell

Authorities in Los Angeles have braced for the return of high winds this week, the sort of winds that caused wildfires to spread across California, which has now burned across around 60 square miles of the region.

Between Monday and Wednesday this week, winds will be milder than last week in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, but will reach up to 70 mph in the mountains and up to 60mph in the coasts and valleys, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The NWS has warned of a “particularly dangerous situation” in the days ahead.

Large numbers of people have been put under evacuation orders since the fires started, and at least 25 people have been killed amid the devastating blaze.

LA fires: Is it safe to travel to California and is LAX closed?

LA Mayor Karen Bass photographed posing at cocktail party in Ghana as the wildfires broke out

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass was posing for photos at a cocktail party in Ghana when the Palisades fire first broke out last week.

The mayor was selected by President Joe Biden as one of his four-member presidential delegation to attend the inauguration of Ghana’s incoming President John Dramani Mahama on January 7.

Despite reports of a looming fire weather on the afternoon of January 3 – with the National Weather Service warning of “rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior” if ignition occurred – by January 4, Bass was on a plane to Ghana’s capital Accra.

Three fires – Pacific, Eaton and Hurst – were racing across southern California by Tuesday evening. Hurricane-force winds of up to 100mph were fanning flames, causing the blaze to scorch the land at a rate of five football fields per minute.

Bass, meanwhile, attended Mahama’s inauguration, leaving City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson as LA’s acting mayor when the Palisades fire broke out.

In a photo taken and posted on social media – and first reported by the LA Times – Bass was snapped posing at an inauguration cocktail party just before 8 p.m. Ghanaian time the day the fire ignited (just before 12 p.m. LA time). Evacuation orders were issued moments later.

Warning of ‘critical fire weather’ as strong Santa Ana winds return

After a temporary lull in winds, the National Weather Service has warned of critical fire weather with “strong” Santa Ana winds expected to make a return early on Wednesday morning.

In its latest forecast discussion, the agency has warned of widespread wind gusts up to 55 mph across much of Ventura County, the mountains of L.A. county – including the Santa Monicas, the northern and western valleys of L.A. county and the Malibu Coast. 

Local gusts could reach up to 65mph from before sunrise to noon on Wednesday, according to the NWS.

“Critical fire weather conditions will continue for coastal southern California through Wednesday due to moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds. Particularly Dangerous Situation Red Flag Warnings remain in effect,” it announced late on Tuesday.

Here were the strongest winds clocked from Tuesday evening:

The return of Speidi: How Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag rebranded during the California wildfires

If there’s one consequence I didn’t expect to come out of the California wildfires, it was a flop Heidi Montag album from 2010 topping the iTunes charts and her husband, former most-hated-by-millennials Spencer Pratt, going on TV to cry about it. Yet, here we are, living in a timeline where Superficial (yes, the album you might have seen once on Perez Hilton’s blog and immediately forgotten about) is getting the resurgence no one asked for but TikTok demanded. 

Republican senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires

Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California “doesn’t deserve” any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.

The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didn’t object to sending the state “some money,” but not unless state leaders “change their ways.”

Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at California’s political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on “woke policies.”

GOP senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires

Emmy award stolen during LA fires looting as nine people charged over thefts in Palisades and Eaton

Nine people have been charged with looting in connection with the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles, the district attorney has said.

Nathan Hochmann told reporters that among the stolen property was an Emmy award, which was taken from a resident’s home in Altadena by four individuals who were quickly apprehended. Authorities would not be drawn on who the Emmy belongs to. 

In another case, two people entered two different houses in the same neighborhood and are facing two counts of first-degree burglary, which could see them get 12 years behind bars.Read on:

Emmy stolen in LA fires looting as nine charged over thefts in Palisades and Eaton

Wind gusts up to 60 mph expected overnight into Wednesday

The National Weather Service forecast wind gusts up to 60 mph in the mountains overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

“Key message: We are not out of the woods yet,” the Los Angeles NWS said in a statement. “Please stay on guard for a fast-moving fire. The winds underperformed today, but one more enhancement could happen tonight-tomorrow.”

The Palisades and Eaton fires are among the most destructive in Los Angeles history. At least 25 people are dead and officials are warning residents to stay alert as the fires persist.

Malibu Mayor dispels rumors of permits for re-entry into evacuation zones

Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart dispelled rumors that the city is offering permits to people who want an expedited return to evacuation zones.

“We … need to address and dispel a rumor circulating in the community: there is no permit for expedited re-entry into evacuation zones. Any claims or offers to provide such a permit are false,” Stewart said in a statement Tuesday. 

“Many of you are understandably anxious to return to your homes. We hear you, and we are doing everything in our power to make that happen as quickly and safely as possible,” he added. “However, we remain in the midst of an active fire incident.”

Speaker Johnson calls for ‘conditions’ on California wildfire aid

House Speaker Mike Johnson suggested on Monday that lawmakers might attach “conditions” to wildfire aid for California, where blazes in Los Angeles have killed at least 25 and burned hundreds of homes, one of the worst natural disasters in state history.

“I think we’re going to have a serious conversation about that,” Johnson told reporters. “Obviously there has been water resource mismanagement, forest mismanagement, mistakes, all sorts of problems, and it does come down to leadership. It appears to us that state and local leaders were derelict in their duty in many respects. That’s something that has to be factored in.” 

Palisades fire may be linked to previous blaze in popular hiking area

Officials are probing the area near where a small New Year’s Day fire broke out for clues about what started the deadly Palisades Fire, which has grown since last week to more than 23,000 acres and devastated the Pacific Palisades neighborhood.

At the start of the new year, firefighters used a water-dropping helicopter to snuff out a blaze that began a few hours earlier near Skull Rock, a popular hiking destination on the Temescal Ridge trail above the Palisades.

Some residents wonder whether parts of that fire survived and set off the Palisades fire, which began on January 7.

Palisades fire may be linked to previous blaze in popular hiking area

LAPD arrests at least 14 in connection with Palisades Fire

The Los Angeles Police Department has arrested at least 14 people in connection with the Palisades Fire, including three arson suspects, Commander Steve Embrich said Tuesday.

Others were arrested on suspicion of violating curfew, impersonating a firefighter and looting, among other crimes. 

“Looting is not just a crime against property; it also takes away any sense of security from evacuated residents and it will not be tolerated,” Embrich said.

Tyler Perry calls out ‘appalling’ insurance company decisions in wake of LA wildfires

Tyler Perry has criticised insurance company cancellations amid the ongoing catastrophic Los Angeles wildfires raging through Southern California.

Several blazes have destroyed more than 35,000 acres of land across Southern California – the largest being the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire – resulting in the death of 25 people. Several celebrities, including Paris Hilton and When Harry Met Sally star Billy Crystal, have lost their homes.

The American filmmaker and actor shared a message calling out unnamed insurance companies who had either chosen not to renew their policies or to stop writing new ones, especially for high-value homes located in areas of high-risk fire-prone areas.

Tyler Perry calls out ‘appalling’ insurance  company decisions in wake of LA fires

Republican senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires

Republican Senator Tommy Tuberville said that California “doesn’t deserve” any funding for the devastating wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.

The Alabama senator, a staunch Donald Trump ally, said he didn’t object to sending the state “some money,” but not unless state leaders “change their ways.”

Tuberville joins a growing number of Republicans who have hit out at California’s political leaders for the fires, blaming them partly on “woke policies.”

GOP senator says California ‘doesn’t deserve funding’ after devastating wildfires

California wildfires: How and why did fire hydrants run dry across Los Angeles?

As Los Angeles battles multiple fast-moving wildfires, emergency officials have faced a nightmare situation: fire hydrants running out of water.

“How do you fight a fire with no water?” Ryan Babroff, a volunteer firefighter battling the Eaton Fire, told The Washington Post.

At some point this week, up to 20 percent of the city’s hydrants went dry, according to LA Mayor Karen Bass. And on Thursday night, firefighters had stopped tapping into hydrants at all.

President Biden speaks on California wildfires at conservation event

President Joe Biden has once again addressed the California wildfires at a White House event celebrating his administration’s conservation efforts.

“As you all know, I was in California last week where the event was supposed to be held, but we had to postpone it, because the fires in Los Angeles, among the worst wildfires in California history, it’s devastating,” Biden said on Tuesday evening.

“Our entire administration have been working closely with Governor Newsom, Senator Padilla, Senator Schiff, the entire congressional delegation, to make sure California is every possible resource to fight these fires and help the survivors,” he added.

Biden also signed proclamations establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in California.

 

President Joe Biden speaks from the White House on January 14, 2025 (REUTERS)

More than 2,700 structures have been confirmed destroyed in the Eaton Fire zone

Some 2,722 structures have been destroyed in the Eaton Fire zone, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hundreds more were verified to be damaged.

Officials have said that the estimated number of structures destroyed in the blaze is around 7,000. 

Some 40,000 people have applied for FEMA assistance

Some 40,000 people have already applied for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has provided more than $8 million so far for immediate needs, FEMA Region 9 Regional Administrator Robert Fenton said.

Winds start off a ‘little lighter than expected’ in Southern California

Forecasters said Tuesday that winds in Los Angeles County had started off “generally a little lighter than expected,” noting that previous forecast models “were a little heavy handed for today.”

“Winds are mostly under 30 mph and confined to a corridor that runs from Acton to Oxnard and about 20 miles either side. This corridor still does not include the Palisades fire area as the wind axis still has a stronger east component than a north,” the Los Angeles National Weather Service office said in an update. 

While some pick up in winds is expected, the latest high resolution models are maintaining winds mostly under 50mph “through the corridor with just a couple pockets of wind gusts in the mountains up to 60mph.”

The office noted that models do show a “slightly more significant increase in wind speeds Wednesday, but more or less in the same areas as today.” 

Los Angeles International Airport has seen dozens of delays

Los Angeles International Airport has seen dozens of delays on Tuesday, according to tracker FlightAware.

The site only showed two cancellations.

The airport said it was operating normally, but that travelers should check the status of their flights with their airlines.

Newsom signs executive order to aid LA schools, children

“We are using the full force of the state government to respond to the Los Angeles firestorms and ensure recovery for the thousands of residents who have been impacted by this unimaginable loss, including school-aged children,” California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a release. “The executive order I signed today will help bring back some sense of normalcy for our youth by eliminating barriers to getting them back learning in school.”