Several off-ramps on the I-405 freeway are closed as firefighters combat Palisades Fire
Several off-ramps on the I-405 freeway are closed as firefighters combat Palisades Fire
Smoke and flames from the Palisades Fire burn the hillside on the east side of the 405 freeway in Los Angeles, California, in this long exposure photograph taken on January 10.
Multiple off-ramps on the I-405 freeway have been closed, according to the California Department of Transportation, as the Palisades Fire burns farther to its west.
The freeway is a major corridor connecting western parts of metro Los Angeles. Among the closures are the off-ramp leading to the Getty Center museum, which fell under the latest evacuation order Friday evening, with museum staff telling CNN they were complying with only emergency staff remaining behind.
Another off-ramp closure leads to the Skirball Cultural Center, another museum and LA institution.
An new evacuation order Friday night extended to parts of Interstate 405 and the Encino Reservoir, bordering the freeway and the Getty Center.
FBI Los Angeles shifts emergency operations center south to Orange County
The FBI Los Angeles Field Office responsible for multiple counties in Southern California has entered a so-called “Continuity of Operations” emergency contingency phase amid wildfires and heavy smoke in the area, a source familiar with the matter told CNN.
US government agencies plan for protocols to ensure their continued operations in response to natural or manmade disasters.
The FBI’s 24-hour operations center has been relocated from the Westwood area of Los Angeles to Orange County amid heavy smoke as the bureau continues its round-the-clock pulse on criminal and national security threats in the region, the source said.
LA opens two additional evacuation shelters
Two new evacuation shelters have opened in Los Angeles, with more than 100,000 under evacuation orders across the county – Lanark Recreation Center and Van Nuys/Sherman Oaks Recreation Center, officials say.
There are also more than a dozen animal evacuation shelters accepting both small and large animals. See the full lists here and here.
It's 9 p.m. in Los Angeles. Here's where the fires stand
Paula Tapia hugs Katja Schmolka, who lost her home in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, on January 10.
As night falls in Los Angeles, firefighters are making slow progress against fires that have forced tens of thousands to flee their homes and destroyed at least 10,000 properties.
Several of the fires are still largely uncontained — firefighters are working to stop the forward rate of spread for all of them, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Here’s where things stand:
Palisades fire: 21,317 acres, 8% contained
Eaton fire: 14,117 acres, 3% contained
Kenneth fire: 1,052 acres, 50% contained
Hurst fire: 771 acres, 70% contained
Lidia fire: 395 acres, 98% contained
Archer fire: 19 acres, 0% contained
The damage: More than 10,000 structures were likely damaged or destroyed by just the Eaton and Palisades fires, according to Cal Fire. Those are preliminary figures that could rise, and include anything from a home to a shed; damage inspectors are still on the ground tallying the damage.
The response: California authorities are fighting the fires with federal assistance and partners from across the country — and even from abroad. Mexico said it would send firefighters and other personnel to LA to help; Canada also said it was in discussions with its US counterparts on how to further assist.
So far, the firefighting effort has included more than 12,000 personnel, 1,150 fire engines, 60 aircraft and 143 water tankers, according to Gov. Gavin Newsom.
The forecast: The area remains under a red flag warning, though firefighters hope winds may ease Friday night allowing them to gain ground on some of the biggest fires.
However, Cal Fire warned, winds are expected to pick back up over the weekend, and there could be a Santa Ana wind event early next week — bringing hot, dry, powerful gusts that could fan the flames of any ongoing fires.