Palisades Fire Live Updates: Wednesday, Jan. 15

Surrounded by destruction, Southern California residents braced for yet another round of possible wildfires as the anticipated peak of the Santa Ana winds was expected to hit Wednesday. 

The anticipation of the winds arrive as Angelenos are working to rebuild after last week's catastrophic Palisades Fire – which continues to burn parts of the coastal community. Tens of thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders. 

Follow along below for live updates.

Wednesday death toll update

4:00 p.m. PST: The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's Office announced more remains found in the area of the Palisades Fire, though they have not confirmed whether those remains are human. If they are, that would bring the death toll up to nine.

FOX 11's Tony Buttitta captures jarring images of the Palisades Fire 

11:30 a.m. PST: FOX 11 photojournalist Tony Buttitta shared exclusive video of the devastation and destruction of the Palisades Fire. Watch below.

LADWP Update

  • 11:15 a.m. PST: Officials with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power said an estimated 18,000 customers in Pacific Palisades, Encino and Brentwood remain without power. Restoration will begin once fire officials deem it is safe to do so.

Field crews are also working to restore water pressure in the Palisades. SO far, four out of five fire zones have been completed. Access remains restricted in the area around the Temescal Tank, and restored in areas served by the Marquez Knolls and Trailer Tanks. 

Fountain Valley Fire crew assisting

FOX 11's Jenn Lahmers caught up with a crew from Orange County who did not hesitate to make the drive up the 5 Freeway to help with the Palisades Fire. 

Transportation Resources

10:40 a.m. PST: LA Metro is offering free rides during wildfire conditions

  • Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner is also offering $10 fares for travel between San Diego to San Luis Obispo until Jan. 24.

Palisades Fire road closures

  • 10:30 a.m. PST: Caltrans provided an update of road closures. The following roadways are impacted:

405 Freeway

  • Southbound Valley Vista Boulevard off-ramp closed
  • Southbound Skirball Center Drive off-ramp closed.
  • At Getty Center Drive, access to NB Sepulveda Blvd. is restricted.

Pacific Coast Highway

  • SB PCH closed at Sweetwater Canyon Drive.
  • NB PCH closed at McClure Tunnel.

10 Freeway

  • Westbound 10 Freeway closed at Lincoln Blvd.
  • Westbound 10 Freeway 4th and 5th Street on-ramp closed.

Topanga Canyon Boulevard

  • Topanga Canyon Blvd. fully closed in both directions between PCH and Mulholland Dr.

Emergency Alerts

The City of Malibu urged residents not to disable phone alerts and to stay informed. 

FEMA Assistance 

  • 8:40 a.m. PST: Those insured are encouraged to reach out to their insurance companies before filing a claim with FEMA, federal representative Robert J. Fenton said. He added so far, 53,000 have registered with FEMA.

To learn more about how to apply, visit fema.org.

‘We will rebuild’

  • 8:30 a.m. PST: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass spoke about the resilience of residents who have lost everything. She shared the story about a Pacific Palisades woman whom she recently met, and even after losing her home in the flames, she was still volunteering. "We will make it through these fires, and we will rebuild," Mayor Bass said.

LA County DA addresses price gouging: ‘You will be publicity shamed’ 

  • 8:20 a.m. PST: Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman issued a stern warning to those engaging in price gouging and taking advantage of the thousands of fire victims left without a home. "Your name will get out there, your company’s name will get out there, you will be publicly shamed. I want to make that crystal clear, so stop it right now," he said.

38 people remain missing in fire zones in the City of LA

  • 8:15 a.m. PST: "As of this morning, we have 38 people who have been reported missing. 27 of those have been found safe. Of the 11 remaining, two most likely have been found deceased but yet to be positively identified. In total, we have three fatalities that are fire related. One person died at the hospital but had not been reported missing. We still have eight missing persons remaining," said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell.

Another man arrested for impersonating a firefighter

  • 8:10 a.m. PST: "I do want to bring it to your attention that in our Palisades incident, we did arrest another individual for impersonating a firefighter. Somebody else who was dressed like a fireman. He was not a fireman. I got to give a lot of credit to our deputies for being proactive, stopping him, and arresting him. That investigation will continue," Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna announced.

READ MORE: LA fire arrests: 2nd person in custody for impersonating a firefighter in Palisades

‘I urge everyone to stay alert’

  • 8:05 a.m. PST: Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley said during Wednesday’s briefing that firefighters experienced 30 to 40 mph with low humidity. She added aerial views and infrared cameras showed numerous hot spots.

When addressing residents’ frustration about being unable to return home, Crowley said significant issues remain in fire zones, including downed power lines and unsafe water. 

"I urge everyone to stay alert," Chief Crowley said. 

‘We are still at risk’

  • 8 a.m. PST: During an update Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that while the strong winds have yet to materialize, "this could change, and we are still at risk."
  • A Cal Fire representative said the current fires saw little to no growth overnight.

Winds to taper off by the end of the week

  • 7:50 a.m. PST: "Later today we’re really going to notice the difference …I think today will be the last [windy day] for a bit," FOX 11 Meteorologist Maria Quiban said.

Minimal improvement overnight

  • 7 a.m. PST: In the latest update, Cal Fire said the Palisades Fire held at 23, 713 acres and was 19% contained. This is up from the 18% reported Tuesday evening.

Weather forecast calls for the return of strong winds

  • 6:30 a.m. PST: The National Weather Service warned of another powerful wind event, with the strongest winds expected through 3 p.m.  A Red Flag Warning remains in place for several parts of LA County through 6 p.m. Wednesday.

Students at fire-damaged schools begin classes elsewhere

  • 5:15 a.m. PST: Along with thousands of schools, some schools were destroyed in the Palisades Fire. Starting Wednesday, students will begin classes at new locations.

Investigating the fire's cause

  • 4 a.m. PST: FOX 11’s Mario Ramirez  reported from Brentwood as residents look for answers. Authorities are looking into a possible connection to a smaller fire near the same point of origin. Many neighborhoods remain under limited access with members of the California National Guard assigned to areas in the fire zones.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Palisades Fire: New Year's fire near origin point being investigated as possible cause

The Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire broke out on Tuesday, January 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.

Quick Resources

WildfiresPacific PalisadesMalibuLos AngelesLos Angeles CountyBrentwoodBel Air