STORY: :: LA officials say the fire threat isn't over

and vow to crack down on looters

::Anthony Marrone

LA County Fire Chief

:: January 12, 2025

:: Malibu, California

"Elevated critical fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday. Please rest assured that your County of Los Angeles Fire Department will be prepared. These winds, combined with low humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County very high."

"First thing Thursday we will start talking about repopulation in evacuation and warning areas."

:: Robert G. Luna

LA County Sheriff

"Regarding any illegal activity that may be occurring in these areas, don't do it. The fact that anyone takes advantage of anybody who has been victimized already, whether it is burglary, looting or any other crime, whether it is a scam of some kind that you are conjuring up to make money off the poor people that have been involved in this -- as a matter of fact I am set for a press conference tomorrow with Chief Jim McDonald where we will be with the District Attorney and we will be with probably the U.S. Attorney, they are very eager to prosecute anybody involved and anyone who thinks they are going to take advantage of the people who have been through this tragedy."

Aircraft dropped water and fire retardant on steep hills to stem the eastward spread of the Palisades Fire and KTLA television reported that ground crews had managed to save a number of houses, although others were lost.

Six simultaneous blazes have ripped across the second-largest U.S. city since Tuesday, killing at least 14 people as of Sunday morning. At least 16 others were believed missing.

The blazes have damaged or destroyed 12,000 structures, fire officials said. By Sunday, more than 100,000 people in Los Angeles County had been ordered to evacuate, while another 87,000 faced evacuation warnings.