California fires updates for Tuesday, Feb. 4

It's been nearly a month since the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires first erupted in Los Angeles County. Now, as thousands continue the road to recovery, those in burn scar areas must prepare for two rainstorms forecast to hit Southern California this week. 

Follow FOX 11's live blog with the latest updates provided on the Jan. 2025 fires in SoCal:

PCH closed again

3:40 p.m.: The PCH between Chautauqua Blvd. and Carbon Beach is closed again as the region prepares for another round of rain. The road is expected to be closed until at least Friday.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the highway must be closed due to soft soils on both the hill and ocean sides of the road," according to a statement from Caltrans. "Mud and debris flows may occur and canyons may overtop, blocking the road or causing further damage."

Only essential workers -- such as first responders, recovery agencies and utility companies -- will be able to access PCH in the closure area. Residents with passes will still be able to return to their homes in Pacific Palisades via Chautauqua.

$125M for wildfire relief raised

2:35 p.m.: The Grammy Awards and last week's FireAid benefit concerts raised close to $125 million for those affected by the recent wildfires, organizers said. 

The benefit concert organizers said the concerts raised $100 million from an estimated 50 million viewers. The Grammys, meanwhile, and affiliated events raised a combined $24 million toward fire relief, with $9 million coming from Grammy night and $15 million from MusiCares events during Grammy week.

Newsom traveling to Washington

1:30 p.m.: Gov. Gavin Newsom's office has confirmed to FOX 11 that the governor is traveling to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of President Donald Trump's administration and members of Congress to secure disaster aid for survivors and recovery efforts. No other details were announced.

Bass issues order to help displaced students

1 p.m. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order on Tuesday to help schools damaged by the fires to relocate, and for students who were displaced to have somewhere to learn.

The order does the following:

  • Increases enrollment caps for schools and child care centers by 20% to allow displaced students to transfer for three to five years.
  • Gives schools and child care centers affected by the fires a 180-day permit to relocate and operate anywhere within the city of Los Angeles.
  • Expedites review process for relocating education centers that want to stay past the 180-day permit.

Food benefits for fire victims

1 p.m.: Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that starting next week, families affected by the wildfires will be eligible for Disaster CalFresh food benefits. With these benefits, a family of four with a monthly income of up to $3,529 might be eligible for a one-time payment of $975. 

Anyone who lived or work in an area impacted by the recent fires may be eligible for the benefits. 

The following ZIP codes are eligible to apply:

  • Eaton Fire: 91104, 91206, 91103, 91016, 91010, 91001, 91214, 91101, 91107, 91006, 91208, 91020, 91105, 91011, 91024, 91008, 91007, 91042, and 91106
  • Hughes Fire: 91334, 91350, 91355, 91384, 91390, 93015, 93040, 93225, 93243, 93532, 93536, and 00018
  • Hurst Fire: 91342, 91344, 91321, 91326, 91381, and 91311
  • Palisades Fire: 90049, 91302, 91301, 90290, 90272, 90265, 90402, 90073, 90077, 90095, 90401, 90403, 90404, 91316, 91356, 91367, 91403, 91436, and 91340
  • Areas affected by power outages: 91750 and 93510

Applications for these benefits will only be available between Feb. 10-14 and Feb. 18-19. Those wishing to apply can do so by calling 866-488-8482 or by visiting a Department of Public Social Services office in person.

Help for clearing contaminants from LA County beaches

12:40 p.m.: Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the LA County Board of Supervisors has requested help from state and federal agencies to remove ash sediment and debris left by the recent wildfires from beaches and coastal waters.

Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the scale of the fires and rains that followed made it necessary to seek assistance from outside partners. Horvath said county workers found sediment containing toxic chemicals and heavy metals that burned in the fires, which was particularly harmful to marine ecosystems and could create algal blooms.

The board directed the departments of Public Works, Beaches and Harbors and the Office of Emergency Management to identify additional funding opportunities.

Pause on evictions

12:15 p.m.: The City Council approved an ordinance that will temporarily prohibit landlords from evicting tenants for having unauthorized occupants and pets who have been displaced by the Palisades and Eaton fires.

In a 14-0 vote, council members backed the ordinance that is expected to be in effect for one year. 

The council also approved amendments to the ordinance that will pause rent increases solely for additional occupants in rent-stabilized units during that one-year period. Council members instructed the Housing Department to create a standardized form that tenants can use to notify their landlords of new occupants and pets.

Price gouging penalty increase

12:00 p.m.: The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors directed the Office of County Counsel to draft a resolution to increase the penalty for price gouging to a maximum of $50,000 per violation.

The resolution is expected to return for a full vote at the board's next meeting Feb. 11.

Section 8 vouchers

11:30 a.m.: LA County officials approved a motion providing emergency housing relief for families who lost their homes in the wildfires.

The motion’s directives directs the Los Angeles County Development Authority (LACDA) to prioritize 50 Section 8 vouchers for displaced residents earning less than 50% of the Area Median Income.

"Many of the residents affected by these wildfires were renters who now face immense challenges securing a new home," Chair Kathryn Barger said. "These vouchers will serve as a critical lifeline for displaced families struggling to create stability for their children and households. They are one more resource we can offer that provides immediate relief and support. We must not forget the needs of renters in our recovery efforts."

Newsom signs new executive order

9:37 a.m.: Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new executive order to cut red tape by suspending regulations and extending deadlines to assist in helping survivors recover quickly from the Los Angeles area firestorms. 

The order removes bureaucratic barriers, extends deadlines, and provides critical regulatory relief to help families rebuild, access essential services, and recover more quickly by waiving regulations that could make it more difficult for survivors to access important services, such as child care, education, rental housing, health care, and obtaining tax relief.

"As Los Angeles rises, we will continue to remove the barriers that would stand in the way. This executive order provides targeted relief from regulations that impact victims and would otherwise slow this community’s quick recovery," he said.

Palisades Contractor Access Passes 

Beginning Tuesday, authorized contractors with proof of hire no longer need to renew their access passes daily and won’t expire. Now, residents must show proof of residency and contractors must show a copy of their contract or other proof for access. 

Those passes can be picked up at the following locations

  • Disaster Recovery Center Parking Structure: 10850 Pico Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA, 90064
  • West LA Civic Center: 1645 Corinth Avenue, Second Floor, Los Angeles, CA, 90025

Pacific Coast Highway to close Tuesday afternoon

Caltrans announced late Monday that it will shut down PCH again at 3 p.m. Tuesday between Chautauqua Boulevard in Los Angeles and Carbon Beach Terrace in Malibu due to the anticipated rainfall from a pair of back-to-back storms. The road is expected to remain closed until at least Friday.

Rain threatens burn scar areas

5:45 a.m.: Storms preps are underway across Los Angeles County as the first of two storms is forecast to arrive by Tuesday afternoon. 

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. 

A lawsuit filed Monday claims Southern California Edison equipment sparked the Eaton Fire. 

The lawsuit alleges that Southern California Edison failed to comply with essential electrical and fire safety standards, including failing to maintain power lines and overgrown vegetation.

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.

WildfiresLos AngelesLos Angeles CountyAltadenaPacific Palisades