California fires update: Saturday, Feb. 8
Palisades Fire started 1 month ago
It's been exactly one month since the Palisades Fire erupted in the Pacific Palisades, and some residents still haven't been allowed back.
It's officially been more than one month since the start of the deadly Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles County. More than two dozen people have been killed, nearly 40,000 acres have burned and thousands of homes have been destroyed.
While the Eaton, Hughes, Palisades are fully contained, thousands continue the long road to recovery.
Follow FOX 11's live blog with the latest updates provided on the Jan. 2025 fires in SoCal:
PCH Closed due to mudslide
12 p.m.: An overnight landslide covered all lanes of PCH just north of Big Rock Drive. The road was closed at the time of the mudslide.
Caltrans also announced that PCH will stay closed in both directions between Chautauqua Boulevard and Carbon Beach Terrace until further notice.
Malibu officials said that residents and contractors who were allowed access on PCH in the area will not be able to get through the closure.
Independent investigation
9 a.m.: Los Angeles County announced Friday that a private firm had been hired to independently review the county's response to the Palisades and Eaton fires. The McChrystal Group will specifically take a closer look at the county's emergency alert and evacuation systems.
The day the fires started, county officials mistakenly sent evacuation alerts to everyone in LA County, rather than just those under active evacuation orders, causing chaos and unnecessarily scaring millions.
Other residents, particularly in the Altadena area, claimed that communication of real evacuation orders was late, causing precious time as the deadly fire spread.
"Ensuring accountability and being analytical about our County’s emergency notification work are both critical to strengthening our disaster response," LA County Supervisor Kathryn Barger said in response to the hiring of McChrystal Group, calling it "an essential step toward improving transparency."
"I'm eager to review their findings," Barger added.
The McChrystal Group is also conducting a review of North Carolina's disaster response to Hurricane Helene in 2024.
The groups first report is expected in 90 days.
FireAid extends on-demand streaming deal
8 a.m.: Multiple artists came together for the FireAid concert last week, with proceeds going to those impacted by LA's recent wildfires. On Friday, it was announced streaming services have been extended and that Steve and Connie Ballmer will continue matching every donation dollar-for-dollar.
More rain expected next week
Weather forecast for Saturday, Feb. 8
The latest forecast for the greater Los Angeles area, including beaches, valleys and desert regions.
8 a.m.: While the Palisades and Eaton burn scars have already weathered one storm since the fires have been contained, FOX 11 Chief Meteorologist Adam Krueger says forecast models show rain is expected for most of next week.
Lawyers blame Eaton Fire on SoCal Edison
Lawyers with LA Fire Justice say the Eaton Fire, which destroyed thousands of homes in Altadena and Pasadena, was "preventable," blaming the fire on Southern California Edison's equipment.
The Eaton Fire
The Eaton Fire was first reported on Tuesday, Jan. 7 near Altadena and Midwick drives.
Some residents did not survive the flames and at least 7,000 structures were destroyed.
Authorities have implemented a curfew from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. for all areas that remain under mandatory evacuation orders in the Altadena area. This comes after more than 30 looting arrests were made by the LA County Sheriff's Department.
What caused the Eaton Fire?
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but they were fueled by extreme drought conditions, combined with the supersized Santa Ana winds that whipped flames and embers at 100 mph – much faster than usual.
Several lawsuits have been filed alleging that Southern California Edison's equipment was to blame. Videos in these lawsuits allegedly show fire sparking near SCE equipment. One of the lawsuits alleges that SCE failed to comply with essential electrical and fire safety standards, including failing to maintain power lines and overgrown vegetation.
SoCal Edison has said it's still too early decisively say what caused the Eaton Fire.
The Palisades Fire
The Palisades Fire broke out on the afternoon of Tuesday, Jan. 7 as parts of Southern California were hit by powerful Santa Ana winds – the strongest to hit the area in over a decade, officials said. The piercing winds not only intensified the spread of the fire, it also prevented helicopters and planes from dumping water or fire retardant onto the burning scene as it was too dangerous to fly during the first day of the massive fire.
The fire extended well over 23,000 acres in seven days, destroying homes and businesses across the Pacific Palisades and Malibu. The fire also forced evacuations across parts of LA County, including Bel-Air, Brentwood and Santa Monica.
The fire also destroyed the Pacific Palisades Charter High School and other schools in the fire's path.
What caused the Palisades Fire?
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
According to a report from the Los Angeles Times, a popular hiking destination, Skull Rock – an area north of Sunset Boulevard in Pacific Palisades – is at the center of an investigation "as a possible starting point for the Palisades fire."
Meanwhile, local authorities have announced multiple rounds of arrests taking place from the Palisades Fire scenes, but none of which are explicitly related to the cause of the fire. Over the weekend, there was an announcement of a man arrested for impersonating a firefighter. The alleged "fake firefighter" was accused of trying to break into one of the evacuated homes.
Other people have also been accused of arson across Southern California.