Latest wildfires in California: 16 dead, 16 missing; return of strong winds

One of several fires burning in the Los Angeles area continued to spread this weekend, expanding evacuation orders and destroying homes as cameras rolled and people watched live.

Palisade fire is one of several massive fires still burning across Los Angeles County, including Eaton fire in the Altadena and Pasadena area, Kenneth Fire in the West Hills area and Hurst Fire near Sylmar.

At least 16 people have died in the fires, but officials expect the number to rise as teams with cadaver dogs systematically search nets in razed neighborhoods.

The authorities have set up a center where people can report a missing person. Sixteen people have been reported missing so far.

The death toll from California’s wildfires is rising as wind intensity increases

According to the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office, the death toll from the California wildfires has risen to 16. FOX’s Josh Breslow joins LiveNOW with Mark Lambert, assistant professor and director of West Virginia University’s National Fire Academy, to discuss the latest information.

More than 12,000 buildings burned down. According to preliminary estimates from AccuWeather, the wildfires may prove to be the most costly in U.S. history.

In a briefing posted online Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County had been ordered to evacuate and more than 700 people were sheltering in nine shelters.

View of fires in Mandeville Canyon, Los Angeles, United States, January 11, 2025. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)

More Santa Ana winds are coming

NWS Los Angeles: What are the winds like in Santa Ana?

The National Weather Service’s Todd Hall joins FOX’s LiveNOW to discuss Santa Ana winds amid California’s deadly wildfires. Santa Ana winds occur in southern California and blow from the Santa Ana Mountains.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for severe fires that will continue through Wednesday, with sustained winds of up to 50 mph and mountain gusts of up to 70 mph. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said meteorologist Rich Thompson.

“There will be really strong, gusty winds in Santa Ana, very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have very critical fire weather conditions there,” Thompson said at a community meeting Saturday evening.

There were concerns that winds could carry the Palisades fire toward the J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, which may result in new evacuation orders being issued.

Palisade Fire

Area burned: 23,654 acres.
Cap: Still at 11%.
Structures destroyed: at least 5,316 (including cars).
Houses destroyed: at least 426 houses.
According to the county medical examiner’s office: Five confirmed.
Displaced: Over 100,000 people have been displaced.
Reason: remains under investigation.

Eaton’s Fire

Area burned: 14,117
Cap: still at 15%
Destroyed structures: over 7,000 (including cars).
Deaths: 11 deaths have been confirmed, according to the county medical examiner’s office.
Displaced people: More than 150,000 people in Los Angeles County are under evacuation orders.
Reason: remains under investigation.

Kenneth Fire

Area burned: 1,052 acres
Containment: 100%, as of Sunday morning
Damaged structures: None
According to Los Angeles, this fire is being investigated as arson.

The feds are taking the lead in determining the cause

California wildfires: Super Scoopers strike

John Gradek, aviation management program coordinator at McGill University, joins FOX’s LiveNOW to talk about Canada’s “Super Scooper” fighting wildfires in California. Planes resupply by descending into lake waters and skimming the water’s surface to refill their tanks. They release the tanks to extinguish the burning fire and repeat the entire process until they need to refuel the plane.

This will be done by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives take the lead in investigating the exact cause of the fires.

The The exact cause of each fire is still under investigationbut they were caused by extreme drought combined with powerful Santa Ana winds that blew flames and embers at 100 mph – much faster than usual.

Southern California Electric, the area’s primary utility provider, reported a downed power line in the Hurst Fire area a fire broke out around the same time.

Wildfires in California