LA fires live updates: Santa Ana winds set to return as crews scramble to control blazes that left 10 dead
Death toll continues to climb as the arson suspect, allegedly armed with a ‘propane tank’ or ‘flamethrower,’ is being held in police custody
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Your support makes all the difference.At least 10 people have been killed by the fast-moving wildfires tearing across the Los Angeles area, while a suspected arsonist, allegedly armed with a “flamethrower,” has been arrested.
The Department of Medical Examiner announced it received notification of 10 fire-related fatalities on Thursday evening with the death toll expected to climb. It came hours after the Kenneth fire broke out north of the Palisades fire on Thursday, threatening homes near Calabasas and Hidden Hills.
The Los Angeles Police Department said it believed the blaze was started intentionally. Later on Thursday, a man was restrained by citizens using zip ties after allegedly attempting to light a fire in Woodland Hills, before being detained, Sean Dinse of the LAPD’s Topanga Division told KTLA 5.
The suspect, believed to be in his mid-20s, was armed with a “propane tank” or “flamethrower,” according to a witness.
The Palisades Fire, one of the most destructive the city has seen, is now at six percent containment. The fire has scorched almost 20,000 acres, while the Altadena and Pasadena-based Eaton fire has burned 13,690 acres. At least 180,000 residents have been forced to evacuate and 10,000 structures feared burned down.
LA wildfires mapped: Palisades and Eaton blazes now cover nearly 30,000 acres
Everything we know about ‘armed’ arson suspect arrested over Kenneth blaze as LA wildfires rage
LA fires: Is it safe to travel to California and is LAX closed?
Milo Ventimiglia fights back tears while visiting rubble of charred home lost in California fire
Milo Ventimiglia fights back tears while visiting rubble of charred home lost in California fire
Milo Ventimiglia fought back tears while visiting the remains of his house that was ravaged by the deadly California wildfires raging through the Los Angeles area.
The This is Us and Heroes actor was one of many Hollywood stars who lost their homes after evacuating Malibu on Tuesday (7 January) and, while surveying the damage for the first time, he emotionally reflected on the “heavy” loss.
He also described the incident as “life imitating art”, revealing it “wasn’t lost” on him that his This is Us character Jack Pearson saved his family from a house fire.
Jacob Stolworthy has the story.
Milo Ventimiglia fights back tears while visiting home lost in California fire
‘It hits you so quick,’ the ‘This is Us’ actor said after surveying destruction for first time
Super Scooper plane makes emergency landing after hit by ‘drone strike’ while flying over Palisades fire
Is the Hollywood sign on fire?
As deadly wildfires continue to devastate Los Angeles County, the outbreak of a new inferno in the Hollywood Hills on Wednesday afternoon led to the spread of fake pictures and video across social media claiming that the iconic Hollywood sign is ablaze.
Those images are fake and, at the time of writing, the legendary landmark is safe from the flames as the fire woud have to cross over a freeway in order to impact the sign. The fire has however impacted the lights that illuminate the sign, affecting its visibility.
At least five people have been killed by the out-of-control fires so far, with more than 1,000 structures destroyed and at least 150,000 residents forced to flee their homes.
Emergency responders are battling to rein in the destruction, although their efforts are not being helped by strong winds and dry conditions on the ground.
Joe Sommerlad reports.
No, the Hollywood sign is not on fire
Fake news swirls around legendary landmark as deadly wildfires continue to devastate Los Angeles
NFL moves wild card game from L.A. to Arizona amid fires
The upcoming NFL wild card round playoff matchup between the Minnesota Vikings and the Los Angeles Rams has been moved to Arizona from L.A., as fires continue to ravage the California city.
“The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs, and the NFL Players Association,” the NFL said in a statement on Thursday.
The game, slated for Monday, will take place at State Farm Stadium, the home arena of the Arizona Cardinals instead.
PHOTOS: Destruction as L.A. endures another day of fire
Major L.A. utility hasn’t implemented common fire safety practices: report
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, a major utility for Los Angeles, reportedly doesn’t have plans to proactively shut off parts of the power system during windstorms to cut down on fire risk, a common practice in the wider industry, according to the Wall Street Journal.
“LADWP worked closely with the Los Angeles Fire Department to develop this emergency protocol that reduces fire risk while continuing vital functions powered by electricity,” a spokesperson for the utility told the paper.
The spokesperson added that the utility takes other safety steps like disabling technology that automatically resotres power to lines after outages to prevent sparking.
The causes of the blazes around L.A. are still being investigated.
The ‘super scooper’ pilots fighting fires across L.A.
Water-dropping planes have been a key part of the response to the L.A. fires so far.
Throughout the day, daring pilots have been guiding the “super scooper” planes just above the surface of the ocean, grabbing hundreds of gallons of sea water, then heading towards the hills where the fires around L.A. are raging.
Zachary Levi blasts ‘incredibly poor’ leadership for devastating LA wildfires
Shazam! star Zachary Levi has faulted governmental leaders for the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, declaring that they must be held responsible for “criminal negligence.”
The 44-year-old Hollywood actor and vocal Donald Trump supporter recently appeared on Fox News’ Jesse Waters Primetime show, where he slammed California Governor Gavin Newsom for doing “nothing” to avoid these natural disasters.
“This is the most devastating fire in Los Angeles history,” Levi said. “My family’s from Ventura, California. I grew up there most of my life, and then I was in L.A. for 15 years.”
Inga Parkel has the story.
Zachary Levi blasts ‘incredibly poor’ leadership for devastating LA wildfires
‘Shazam!’ star has been an avid proponent of Donald Trump
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