L.A. Fires Live: Death Toll Unknown, Officials Now Say, as New Blazes and Strong Winds Challenge Responders

The Ventura Country Fire Department has released dramatic footage of the moment a helicopter extinguished part of the Kenneth Fire with a huge, direct water drop.

In a caption, the Fire Department added that “Forward progress of the Kenneth Fire has been stopped, and the fire is currently holding at 960 acres with 0% containment.”

“Approximately 400 Firefighters will remain on scene through the night, continuing to provide structure protection and knock down hot spots,” it continued. “There are no reported structures damaged or destroyed.”

“All evacuation orders in Los Angeles County have been reduced to evacuation warnings. Evacuation warnings issued in Ventura County have been lifted.”

More than 750,000 properties in California are currently without power as a result of the wildfires, according to PowerOutage.us.

This figure includes around 100,000 homes and businesses in Los Angeles County and 107,000 in Riverside.

The total across Southern California Edison is likely to change, however, as the tracking site is having difficulties collecting data amid the ongoing fires. As of 4 p.m. local time on Thursday, Jan. 9, it had posted a total of 367,000 customers without power across the region.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department provided updates on the major fires that are ravaging the Southland as of 7:42 p.m.

The Palisades Fire is now 6% contained. 19,978 acres have burned with hundreds of properties and businesses destroyed or damaged.

The Eaton Fire remains 0% contained with 13,690 acres burned.

The Kenneth Fire that started Thursday afternoon in West Hills, potentially under suspicious circumstances, has burned 1,000 acres as of 9:00 p.m. Residents of nearby Hidden Hills and Calabasas have been evacuated as firefighters battle the blaze overnight. It remains at 0% containment.

Other spot fires continue to flare up and winds have picked up, creating additional challenges for responders.

Residents in West Hollywood and Hollywood were allowed to return to their homes on Thursday after the LAFD and other agencies were able to contain the Sunset Fire.

Those remaining or returning to the heavily damaged Palisades and Altadena/Pasadena areas have been instructed to boil water before consuming or cooking as “disease-causing organisms” may be present.

While the exact number of deaths remains unknown, CNN reports there have been at least 10 fatalities associated with the fires.

An L.A. County Fire evacuation alert meant for residents of Hidden Hills was sent out wide, alarming many residents already on edge as fires continue to burn across the Southland.

Local TV station KTLA posted a screenshot of the alert residents got around the county, from Santa Monica to Hollywood and even as far south as Long Beach.

“NEW: This is an emergency message from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. An EVACUATION WARNING has been issued in your area. Remain vigilant of any threats and be ready to evacuate. Gather loved ones, pets and supplies,” the message read, accompanied by a loud audio alert.

The City of Santa Monica, which is directly south of the Palisades Fire and under evacuation warnings, tweeted there are no updated evacuations in the area.

“All LA County residents just received a wireless emergency alert about evacuations from the county. There are NO updated evacuations in Santa Monica. EVACUATIONS IN SANTA MONICA ARE UNCHANGED,” the tweet read.

L.A. County Supervisor Janice Hahn said the evacuation alert was “mistakenly issued countywide due to a technical error. A correction will be issued shortly,” per Spectrum News.

A correction was sent out, with an equally loud audio alert, about 15-20 minutes following the first. “Disregard last EVACUATION WARNING. It was for KENNETH FIRE Only,” the correction read.

An L.A. County Sheriff public information officer told Spetrum that the alert came from ReadyLA and are working to track down why it was sent out.

Residents of Hidden Hills and West Hills are still under evacuation orders after a fire broke out near Victory Boulevard. The blaze, known as the Kenneth Fire, has since grown to over 791 acres as of 5:00 p.m. local time. Responders are actively fighting the fire.

Residents can continue to monitor alertla.org or download the Watch Duty app for the latest evacuation orders.

Both Pepperdine University has announced that most classes on the Malibu will be moved online until Sunday, Jan. 19, due to the ongoing fires in Southern California.

The same college campus was threatened by the Franklin Fire about one month ago.

“No words can remove the pain and loss many have encountered over the past two days,” University President Jim Gash said in a statement, “but as we confront this challenge, I am confident that Pepperdine will do everything we can to support one another and support our community.”

Students with classes scheduled for Calabasas, West Los Angeles, or Irvine campuses “will receive further guidance from their deans and/or supervisors,” according to Gash.

The National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center (WPC) is warning that “critical fire weather conditions” are about to “ramp up again across Southern California.”

The “strong Santa Ana winds” will strengthen again on Thursday morning, Jan. 9, leading to “critical fire weather” along the coast once more, according to forecasters.

Winds “won’t be nearly as strong as the past few days,” but terrain-induced winds “will still be strong enough to be of concern,” with gusts of 40 to 60 mph expected in the area.

“Combined with low relative humidity and dry fuels, the potential exists for ongoing fires to worsen and new ignitions to rapidly spread,” forecasters said.

These “dangerous” fire conditions “are expected to continue tonight before waning” on the morning of Friday, Jan. 10.

The Sunset Fire that threatened portions of West Hollywood has been “fully contained,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said.

The fire broke out just before 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Jan. 8, according to Cal Fire.

In a post on X, Bass asked those returning home to “please drive SLOWLY and watch the road,” adding, “Firefighters are still working in some damaged areas.”

The Los Angeles Lakers have postponed their game against the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, Jan. 9, due to the ongoing wildfires.

In a statement, the Lakers said the game “will be rescheduled” and applauded the work being done by fire crews battling the blazes.

“Our gratitude is with the first responders and all of you who come together when we need each other the most,” the team said, adding at the end of its statement, “We’re with you, L.A.”

The Los Angeles Rams have informed season ticket holders that the team’s playoff game against the Minnesota Vikings remains scheduled for Monday, Jan. 13, according to The Orange County Register’s Adam Grosbard.

The game is currently slated to be played at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, but the team said that “the NFL has contingency plans in the event a change in location is needed due to the tragic fires in our region.”

If need be, the game will shift to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., and will still be played Monday night.

“We will continue to monitor the situation closely and remain in contact with local officials, the NFL and the NFLPA,” the team said.

A “do not drink” order has been issued for evacuated areas of Pasadena after the Eaton Fire impacted their local water system.

The order from Cal Fire, which was issued late on Wednesday, Jan. 8, said the local water system was “potentially impacted with debris and elevated turbidity.”

“Failure to follow this advisory could result in illness,” fire officials said.

Treating the water, they added, “will not make the water safe.” It is unclear how long the “do not drink” order will be in place.

In the meantime, officials said “bottled water should be used for all drinking (including baby formula and juice), brushing teeth, washing dishes, making ice and food” and anything relating to pets and domestic animals.

The Los Angeles wildfires are expected to be the costliest in United States history, according to a new report from The Wall Street Journal.

Total economic losses from the fires are now pegged at close to $50 billion, said JPMorgan analyst Jimmy Bhullar.

Insured losses, according to Bhullar’s estimate, may be over $20 billion, and “even more if the fires are not controlled.”

Los Angeles Mayor Kim Bass addressed the criticism she is receiving for a reported $17 million budget cut to the fire department ahead of the devastating L.A. wildfires.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Jan. 9, Bass said, “There were no reductions that were made that would have impacted the situation that we were dealing with over the last couple of days.”

She added that some of the confusion was that money had been allocated to be distributed “later on.”

“We were in tough budgetary times,” she explained.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna says the death toll from the L.A. fires is currently unknown, despite previous reports.

At a press briefing on Thursday, Jan. 9, Luna said he was “not satisfied” upon reviewing the preliminary information he received, but noted people “are doing their best” amid the difficult conditions.

“This continues to be a fluid and evolving crisis, and the numbers that we release throughout this incident are going to fluctuate,” Luna explained. “So anything we say is subject to change.”

Luna said he would deliver more accurate information when it becomes available.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone says the growth of the Eaton Fire “has been significantly stopped.”

The fire is still an estimated 10,600 acres in size, but remains 0% contained, Marrone told reporters at a press briefing on Thursday, Jan. 9.

Nearly 900 firefighting personnel are assigned to the blaze, in addition to additional resources, according to the fire chief.

The cause of the Eaton Fire remains under investigation.

The Los Angeles Fire Department has announced that all evacuation orders for the Sunset Fire have been lifted.

The blaze broke out in the Hollywood Hills around 6 p.m. local time on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

“We will still have LAFD companies working in the area and ask you to be careful while returning to your homes,” the fire department said in its announcement.

Some residents have been spotted fighting fires on their own as resources run thin to battle the blazes burning across Southern California.

Los Angeles Times videographer Robert Gauthier captured footage of two men using garden hoses to spray a home in Altadena that went up in flames during the Eaton Fire.

Another man, Samuel Girma, was also filmed using a small hose to fight the enormous flames and prevent embers from spreading to the house next door.

Four firefighters have been reported as injured in the Eaton Fire.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department revealed the update in a post on X on Wednesday, Jan. 8. The news comes after the L.A. fire department confirmed that five civilians had lost their lives.

The L.A. fire department also updated that 10,600 acres had been burned, while 972 structures had been destroyed and 84 structures had been damaged.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department gave an update on the major fires ravaging the Southland on Wednesday night.

As of 8:00 p.m. Jan. 8, the Palisades Fire has burned 15,832 acres with 0% containment. The Eaton Fire has burned 10,590 acres with 0% containment, the agency posted on X.

There are additional fires burning in the Hollywood Hills, Studio City, Acton and Sylmar.

Strong winds and the dark have made responders’ jobs more difficult as fires continue to spread throughout the region into a third day.

There have been five confirmed civilian fatalities, all from the Eaton Fire devastating Pasadena and Altadena. Thousands of homes have been destroyed or damaged, from citizens to celebrities.

Residents can get up-to-date emergency & evacuation information at http://lacounty.gov/emergency.

A fast growing brush fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills early Wednesday evening.

Sports journalist Emmanual Acho posted video of the blaze from his car as he was driving through West Hollywood.

“Please pray for LA— the Hollywood Hills are now on fire. I just took this video as I am about to evacuate my house,” the former NFL player wrote of the blaze being dubbed the Sunset Fire.

“Approximately 10 acres burning between Runyon Canyon and Wattles Park,” the Los Angeles Fire Department wrote in an evening alert.

“A Mandatory Evacuation Order is now in place for Laurel Canyon Blvd (on the west) to Mulholland Dr (on the north) to 101 Freeway (on the east) down to Hollywood Blvd (on the south).”

As of 9:00 p.m., the fire has grown to engulf 60-100 acres, per the LAFD.

The Hollywood Hills is home to many celebrities, athletes and other notable figures. The southern border of the fire is nearing several historic landmarks, including the Dolby Theatre where the Oscars are held. Nearby attractions also include the TCL Chinese Theatre and the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Those areas have been evacuated as the Sunset Fire spreads.

The Pasadena Fire and Police departments held a joint press conference on Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 8, to provide updates on the Eaton Fire, which has now grown almost as the Palisades Fire.

As of 4:30 p.m., the Eaton Fire has burned 10,600 acres with 0% containment, according to Pasadena Fire Chief Chad Augustin.

Sixty strike teams comprised of 750 firefighters are working on the fires in the Pasadena and Altadena areas. Two hundred to five hundred structures have been damaged or lost. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Augustin said red flag conditions will continue throughout Thursday given the variable and high speed wins in the area. There are 100,000 residents that remain under evacuation orders.

Pasadena Police Chief Gene Harris gave a strong warning to looters who might want to take advantage of the abandoned homes and cars.

“Don’t come here,” Harris warned, saying that anyone unauthorized in the area would be met by police.

For NBC News correspondent Jacob Soboroff, reporting from the devastation in the Pacific Palisades amid the raging wildfires around L.A. is not just a job — it’s also painfully personal because it’s where he grew up.

“I was born and raised here,” Soboroff says, “and it’s really devastating to see.”

He remembers the neighborhood pre-fire as a small town in a big city: “a patchwork of different communities.”

“There are families who lived here for generations and there are lots of young, new families who’ve moved in and worked there. It’s a very special place,” he tells PEOPLE. “You can live a life where you can walk into the village and walk into the grocery stores or the pharmacy or the library.”

He hasn’t been back to his old childhood home in many years. But when he did, for his reporting on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Soboroff found it had burned down.

The number of dead in the fires has grown to five, the Associated Press reported, citing the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department.

The causes of death were not immediately available.

The fires combined have so far burned nearly 27,000 acres, almost entirely between the Palisades and Eaton fires, state officials said.

With fires erupting across Southern California, especially Los Angeles County, several organizations — including the Red Cross, World Central Kitchen and more — are offering their assistance in the area.

Click here to see how you can help the victims.

The Palisades Fire is now the most destructive in the history of Los Angeles County, according to the Associated Press.

An estimated 1,000 structures have been destroyed across the county as the fire burns for a second day.

The Palisades Fire grew to 11,802 acres on Wednesday, Jan. 8, according to data from CalFire. It remains 0% contained.

Fire officials said “extreme fire behavior” remains a challenge for firefighters, according to a status update shared around midday.

Winds still gusting up to 60 mph “are expected to continue” through Thursday, Jan. 9.

A reporter with ABC News says the neighborhood where he grew up “will never be the same” after the Palisades Fire burned it to the ground.

Chief national correspondent Matt Gutman took cameras through the neighborhood where he grew up in Pacific Palisades on Wednesday, Jan. 8. As he spoke, he guided viewers through where some homes had already been destroyed and others continued to burn.

Guttman believes his aunt and cousin’s homes, located nearby, were also burned down. He said the area was “unrecognizable.”

“When we use the term ‘apocalyptic,’ this is what it looks like,” said Guttman on Good Morning America as cameras showed the neighborhood’s charred remains.

Federal Government Is ‘Prepared to Do Anything and Everything’ to Help Fight Fires, Biden Says

President Joe Biden is offering federal assistance to Southern California to help battle the ongoing fires.

During a news conference with California fire officials on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Biden said the federal government is “prepared to do anything and everything for as long as it takes to contain these fires and help reconstruct” the impacted areas.

“It’s going to be a hell of a long way. It’s going to take time,” the president added.

Nearly 400,000 customers are without power in Southern California as fires continue to burn in the area, according to PowerOutage.us.

More than 260,000 customers are currently without power in L.A. County, and nearly 50,000 are without power in the neighboring Ventura County.

In Riverside County, about 29,000 customers are without power. Meanwhile, in San Bernardino County, nearly 32,000 customers are without power.

Another 14,000 customers are without power in Orange County as well.

The Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County has quickly expanded, and has now burned more than 10,000 acres of land, according to data from CAL FIRE, or the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

More than 700 fire personnel are assigned to the fire, which is still 0% contained, as noted in an update shared just after 10:30 a.m. local time on Wednesday, Jan. 8.

Evacuation orders have been issued in Altadena, Pasadena, La Cañada Flintridge, Sierra Madre and Glendale.

Experts are saying that the situation in Southern California is far from improving as multiple fires burn in the Los Angeles area.

“This event is not only not over, but it is just getting started and will get significantly worse before it gets better,” Daniel Swain, a UCLA climate scientist, said at an afternoon briefing on Tuesday, Jan. 7, per The Los Angeles Times reported.

He added that the strongest and most widespread winds have “yet to come.”

Two people have died during the Eaton Fire, Los Angeles County Fire Department chief Anthony C. Marrone announced at a news briefing on Wednesday, Jan. 8, according to CBS News and NBC News.

The victims were civilians, Marrone said. Their causes of the deaths are currently unknown, he added.

Five wildfires are currently burning in the Los Angeles area, according to CalFire.

The largest blaze is the Palisades Fire, which has burned nearly 3,000 acres of land since it was sparked around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 7. As of 5:16 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, the blaze is 0% contained.

The Eaton Fire, also known as the Close Fire, was also 0% contained on Wednesday morning, having burned nearly 2,300 acres of land since beginning around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday.

Just north of the Palisades Fire is the Woodley Fire, which began in the Sepulveda Basin neighborhood around 6:15 a.m. on Wednesday. As of the latest status report, the blaze was 75 acres in size.

Farther north is the Hurst Fire, which is 500 acres in size. The blaze began just after 10:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and was 0% contained as of about 5 a.m.

A fifth blaze, the Tyler Fire, is burning west of L.A. near Coachella. The 15-acre blaze is 50% contained.

A teacher is opening up about helping their student evacuate a school in Pacific Palisades as a wildfire rapidly grew nearby.

The teacher, who was not named in the Los Angeles Times report, recalled seeing “a tremendous amount of smoke on the campus” of the Calvary Christian School as the Palisades Fire burned on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

Parents tried to pick up their kids, but some were still left when school administrators decided to evacuate. The teacher and other staff members guided the children down Palisades Drive, finally stopping at the Bel-Air Bay Club about a mile and a half away.

“We were walking all the way,” the teacher said. “We did a good job snagging kids. Some couldn’t go home because of the fire. It happened so quickly.”

L.A. Lakers coach JJ Redick said his family were “freaking out” as they were forced to evacuate their home amid the fires. Prior to the Lakers game in Dallas on Tuesday, Jan. 7, Redick sent his “thoughts and prayers to everyone in the Palisades right now,” adding, “that’s where I live.”

Per the AP, he noted, “Our family, my wife’s family, my wife’s twin sister, they’ve evacuated. I know a lot of people are freaking out right now, including my family.”

“Thoughts and prayers for sure, and hope everyone stays safe.”

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Former Hills star Spencer Pratt, 41, shared a video on TikTok after the fire burned through his and wife Heidi Montag Pratt‘s home. “Nightmare came true,” the father of two captioned the video in which he said, “for real … let’s go!” as the blaze moved closer.

Alabama Barker, 19, and her 21-year-old brother Landon shared Instagram Stories posts that they’d been forced to leave their homes. Singer Landon shared a selfie and noted that he was “praying” for everyone affected, while his sister urged her followers to “be safe.” The siblings are the children of Blink 182 drummer Travis Barker and his ex-wife Shanna Moakler.

Schitt’s Creek star Eugene Levy, 78, told the L.A. Times that he’d found himself “stuck” by “black and intense” smoke over Temescal Canyon as he tried to leave his home. “I couldn’t see any flames but the smoke was very dark,” the actor added.

Star Wars actor Mark Hamill, 73, shared a “personal fire update” on Instagram revealing that he’d been evacuated from Malibu at 7 p.m. alongside his wife Marilou and their dog Trixie. The actor — who is now staying with his daughter Chelsea in Hollywood — urged his followers to “stay safe.” He also noted that they were the “most horrific fires since ’93,” and that his family had been “fleeing for our lives.”

The Screen Actors Guild announced that it has canceled its in-person nomination announcement for the 31st Annual SAG Awards “in an abundance of caution for the safety of our presenters, guests, and staff.” Nominees will instead be announced via press release and published on the guild’s website. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Feb. 23.

As residents continue evacuating, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has declared a state of emergency to “amplify response efforts to the devastating Palisades Fire and ongoing windstorm” and “help clear a path for a rapid recovery.”

“To the thousands of families impacted by this horrific fire – the City of Los Angeles is providing resources and shelter as this emergency continues,” Bass said. “To the hundreds of brave firefighters and first responders who have been responding all day to this blaze – we thank you. The City is working aggressively to confront this emergency.”

President Joe Biden also said he and his team are in contact with local officials and offered federal assistance.

As of 9:23 p.m. local time, the Palisades Fire has grown to cover 2,921 acres and is zero percent contained, per Cal Fire.

A second fire reported in Los Angeles County, Eaton Fire, covers 400 acres and is also 0 percent contained. It started at 6:23 p.m. local time.

Footage of the Pacific Palisades fire nearing the historic Getty Villa circulated Tuesday afternoon, showing flames getting dangerously close to the art museum, which holds priceless works of art.

Journalist Leslie Sanchez shared videos of flames making their way up the hill towards the museum’s Villa De Leon.

According to a museum update posted on X, “some trees & vegetation on site have burned, but no structures are on fire, and staff and the collection remain safe.”

The museum reportedly has sophisticated fire protection systems in place to protect the art it houses.

“In an abundance of caution and to keep roads clear in the surrounding areas, the Getty Center will be closed tomorrow January 8,” the museum later wrote on X. “Getty Villa will remain closed through Monday, January 13. We are closely monitoring the situation and will provide updates as they become available.”

James Woods was one of thousands who evacuated their homes as the Pacific Palisades fires quickly spread.

“To all the wonderful people who’ve reached out to us, thank you for being so concerned. Just letting you know that we were able to evacuate successfully. I do not know at this moment if our home is still standing, but sadly houses on our little street are not,” he tweeted just before 4:00 p.m. local time.

Earlier in the day, he tweeted photos of flames getting dangerously close to his deck and the home of a neighbor who lived two doors down on fire.

Actor Steve Guttenberg assisted in the Pacific Palisades evacuations as the fires quickly spread.

In an interview with local news station KTLA, the Police Academy and Three Men and a Baby star, 66, urged fellow residents to leave the keys in their cars so he and others can move them to help fire crews battle the blaze.

The Los Angeles Fire Department held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to provide updates on the fast-moving Pacific Palisades fire.

Authorities said 30,000 people have been evacuated from 10,000 homes or 15,000 structures (including businesses). Fortunately, there have been no injuries or deaths reported so far.

However, authorities warned that conditions may get worse as the strongest part of the wind event is expected to occur between 10:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m. Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.

Residents can get the latest updates at https://lacounty.gov/emergency/.

Governor Gavin Newsom spoke during the press conference and praised responders for their efforts. He warned residents and business owners in threatened areas to heed evacuation orders, saying, “I’ve never been to a memorial for a building.”

Newsom also thanked President Biden for quickly authorizing aid.

“No politics, no hand wringing, no kissing of the feet,” Newsom said of Biden’s response. “The emergency proclamation is being drafted as we speak, and I just want to thank the President, because that’s something I don’t take for granted and something we should not take for granted at this moment in American history.”

The Los Angeles premiere of Jennifer Lopez’s wrestling biopic Unstoppable has been canceled due to “heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks.”

The event at the DGA Theater has been canceled “in light of today’s safety concerns around heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks in Los Angeles,” a rep for the movie’s distributor, Amazon MGM Studios, said in a statement to PEOPLE.

“As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority,” the statement continued. “Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe.”

There’s no word on whether or not the event will be rescheduled.

The Pacific Palisades is an affluent L.A. neighborhood home to many celebrities, and celebrities are among those affected and also among those trying to help.

Steve Guttenberg told local station KTLA that he’s ready to help move vehicles that people may feel they have to abandon in getting to safety.

“What’s happening is people take their keys with them as if they’re in a parking lot. This is not a parking lot. We really need people to move their cars,” he said. “If you leave your car behind, leave the key in there so a guy like me can move your car so that these fire trucks can get up there.”

With traffic reportedly jammed in the area, Guttenberg, 66, said he wanted to do his part.

“There are people stuck up there. So we’re trying to clear Palisades Drive and I’m walking up there as far as I can moving cars,” he said, noting, “There are families up there, there are pets up there. There are people who really need help.”

Separately, actor James Woods shared updates to X (formerly Twitter) as the flames burned around his property.

“We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well. We are safe and out,” he wrote. “There are several elementary schools in our neighborhood and there was an enormous community effort to evacuate the children safely. Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD.”

Amid the weather conditions, the premiere for Jennifer Lopez’s film Unstoppable was also canceled, PEOPLE confirmed.

While the fast-moving fire quickly spurred widespread alarm, as locals sought shelter or to track and avoid the path of destruction — there are no early indications available of how much damage the Palisades fire has caused.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection does not yet list a number of structures damaged or destroyed or of people injured or killed.

The fire is 0% contained.

As the fire erupted in L.A., the region has also been bracing for major gales and gusts of wind — which now are fueling the flames.

Forecasters had said a “life-threatening” and “destructive” windstorm was set to impact Southern California, according to Los 

The peak period for high winds was expected to last from 12 p.m. local time on Tuesday to 12 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 8, forecasters with NWS Los Angeles said.

L.A. and Ventura Counties were anticipated to see north-northeastern wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph, with isolated gusts up to 80 to 100 mph predicted in the mountains and foothills.

These “could be the strongest north winds” the area has seen since the wind event in November and December 2011, according to forecasters.