LA wildfires day 9: What’s the latest, who are victims and what’s next?

Firefighters in Los Angeles County in the United States are preparing for another round of powerful winds as they continue to battle wildfires.

The Palisades blaze is still the largest. It has been burning for a week. On Monday, another fire broke out in neighbouring Ventura County, prompting more evacuation orders.

The total area burned by the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires is about 16,425 hectares (40,588 acres), an area larger than Paris.

Here is what we know:

What’s the latest on the ground?

Death toll and missing people

• At least 25 people have lost their lives due to the wildfires, with eight deaths linked to the Palisades fire and 17 to the Eaton fire.
• According to California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), the Eaton fire is now the most destructive and deadliest wildfire in southern California’s history, with the Palisades fire ranking as the second most destructive.
• The Cedar fire of October 2003 previously held the record as the most deadly and destructive wildfire in the region, destroying nearly 2,820 structures and killing 15 people in San Diego County.

Active fires:

Three major wildfires are still burning in Los Angeles:

• The Palisades fire, on the western outskirts of the city, has burned through 9,596 hectares (23,713 acres), with containment at 17 percent.
• The Eaton fire, in the foothills east of the city, has covered 5,712 hectares (14,117 acres), with containment at 35 percent.

• The Hurst fire has burned 323 hectares (799 acres) and is 97 percent contained.
• In Ventura County, the Auto wildfire, which started on January 13, has expanded to 24 hectares (61 acres, up from 5 acres on Tuesday) and is now 47 percent contained.

Damage and evacuations:

• About 150,000 residents in Los Angeles County remain under evacuation orders, with more than 700 individuals seeking shelter in nine facilities.

What’s expected on Wednesday?

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles issued a Red Flag Warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, effective from 3am to 3pm (11:00-23:00 GMT) on Wednesday.

Stronger winds are likely to create extreme fire weather conditions, and residents are urged to stay vigilant for the potential of rapidly spreading fires, the agency warned in a social media post.

“Key message: We are not out of the woods yet,” the post stated. “Winds were less severe today, but another surge could occur tonight and into tomorrow.”

According to the agency’s website, Red Flag Warnings remain active for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, as well as parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties, through Wednesday.

What not to do during Red Flag Warnings?

According to authorities, this warning means warm temperatures, very low humidities, and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger, so the recommendations are:

• All burned barrels must be covered with a weighted metal cover if there is no ban on burning in a particular area.
• Avoid throwing cigarettes or matches out of a moving vehicle, as they may ignite dry grass on the side of the road and spark a wildfire.
• Extinguish all outdoor fires properly and avoid throwing live charcoal on the ground.
• Do not leave a fire unattended. Sparks or embers can blow into leaves or grass, ignite a fire, and quickly spread.

What do we know about the victims?

Officials say identifying the victims could take several weeks as traditional methods like fingerprinting and visual recognition may not be feasible.

This is what we know so far about those reported to have died, based on information from their families and international media.

Anthony Mitchell and his son, Justin

Anthony Mitchell, a 68-year-old amputee, and his son Justin, who had cerebral palsy, were awaiting an ambulance to evacuate them.

“They didn’t make it out,” said Mitchell’s daughter, Hajime White.

She shared that authorities informed the family Mitchell was discovered beside his son’s bed in Altadena. According to The Washington Post, the family believes Mitchell was attempting to save his son, who was in his 30s.

“He was not going to leave his son behind. No matter what,” White, who lives in Warren, Arkansas, and is Justin’s step-sister, said, adding that her father called her Wednesday morning and said they had to evacuate from approaching flames. “Then he said, ‘I’ve got to go — the fire’s in the yard,’” she recalled on January 9.

“I’ve got to go – the fire’s in the yard.”

Some of the last words of Anthony Mitchell Sr. whose daughter lives in Warren, Arkansas. He died by the bed of his son – who lived with cerebral palsy – while waiting for evacuation from the LA fires.

Rest in peace. pic.twitter.com/cVs00gx4E1

— Arkansas Worker (@ArkansasWorker) January 13, 2025

Victor Shaw

Victor Shaw, 66, stayed behind to try to fight the Eaton fire and was found holding a garden hose in his hand after the blaze swept through his neighbourhood.

According to the news outlet KTLA, he was trying to save the home his family lived in for nearly 55 years. His sister Shari Shaw told KTLA she tried to get her brother to evacuate with her.

“When I went back in and yelled out his name, he didn’t reply back, and I had to get out because the embers were so big and flying like a firestorm – I had to save myself,” Shari told KTLA. “And I looked behind me, and the house was starting to go up in flames, and I had to leave.”

A family friend, Al Tanner, told the outlet they found Victor’s charred body on the side of the road with the hose the next morning. Said Tanner, “It looks like he was trying to save the home that his parents had for almost 55 years.”

Victor Shaw is among those who lost their lives in the Eaton Fire, with his sister telling ABC News he died in a heroic attempt to defend his home in Altadena.

Shaw’s body was found in front of the home, a garden hose still in his hand.

Read more: https://t.co/izW9Fe6YKR pic.twitter.com/FOcjjp3tqZ

— ABC News (@ABC) January 10, 2025

Rodney Nickerson

Rodney Nickerson, an 82-year-old Altadena resident, died in his bed after staying behind because he felt that he would be OK waiting it out at home, said his daughter, Kimiko.

“He was gathering some things, packing up his car a bit, and he said that he was going to gather up his stuff, but he said he was going to stay here too … he said that he felt this was going to pass over and that he would be here,” she said.

Kimiko said her father bought the home in 1968 with a $5 down payment and raised his family there.

Erliene Kelley

When the Eaton fire began spreading on Tuesday night, 83-year-old Erliene Kelley did not want to evacuate because previous fires had never reached her Altadena home.

“She was adamant about staying,” her granddaughter Briana Navarro told The Los Angeles Times. “My husband kept asking her if she was sure, if she didn’t want to come with us.”

After moving from Monmouth, Ill, Kelley and her late husband, Howard, bought their house in the late 1960s and raised two kids there. Navarro said she, her husband and two kids moved in with her grandmother after their grandfather’s death. Her father, who lives a couple of miles away, also tried to get her grandmother to leave, but she refused.

Navarro and her family as well as her father evacuated the area after receiving orders to do so. She kept in constant contact with her grandmother over text, she said.

Why is some of California pink now?

Recently, images have surfaced showing air tankers releasing vibrant red and pink powder over Los Angeles suburbs.

The fire retardant substance has become a familiar sight in the region.

The Forest Service, which has used 13 aircraft to dump suppressants on the Los Angeles fires, says they help starve a fire of oxygen and slow the burn rate by cooling and coating vegetation and other surfaces.

The bright colour helps pilots see where they have already dropped retardant to avoid overlapping and ensure efficient coverage. It also makes the retardant line visible to ground crews, helping them stay behind the treated area where the fire has been slowed.

Perimeter, the company that supplies fire retardant to the Forest Service and other agencies, says the phosphate changes the way cellulose in plants decomposes and makes them non-flammable.

Although fire suppressants are generally considered safe for people, recent research has shown that they can be harmful to human health and the environment due to the chemicals they contain.

The Forest Service prohibits using aerial suppressants over waterways and habitats of endangered species, except in cases where human life or public safety is at risk due to potential health impacts on fish and wildlife.

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