California wildfires spread: seven separate fire hotspots, tens of thousands evacuated and at least five dead

Powerful winds spread fires around: more than 80 000 residents forced to evacuate

The world is frightened as the Palisades Fire started on Tuesday and burned over five thousand acres. The Eaton Fire has destroyed 2,227 acres, and the Hurst Fire has affected 500 acres. Pacific Palisades is between the Santa Monica Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. These wildfires are already called the worst and the most damaging^[1].

Fast-moving fires in California have taken lives already in the Los Angeles area. Many people have been evacuating their homes or mourning lost houses and communities. These fires escalated especially fast due to the strong winds and dry storms.

Lack of rain does not help. The combination of such natural conditions, like powerful winds and lightning, sparked fires. If not the fire itself, winds affect people in the are, with at least 400,000 energy customers in the dark this morning.

Within 12 hours, three fires erupted in Los Angeles County. Each fire spread quickly, covering hundreds of acres and risking homes and lives. Local fire departments are overwhelmed, and the Los Angeles Fire Department has asked all off-duty firefighters to help if they can.

To support the efforts, crews from Alameda County in Northern California and the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management have been sent to help, as the fires continued to burn uncontrolled into early Wednesday. In addition, a California Office of Emergency Services Strike Team will join firefighters from Oakland, Hayward, and Fremont as they head south^[2].

On Tuesday night, California Gov. Gavin Newsom shared on X that over 1,400 firefighters and other emergency resources were on their way to Los Angeles. He declared a state of emergency and started evacuations. These fire hotspots have not been contained yet.

Los Angeles wildfires intensify amid criticism of G. Newsom’s Water and Fire policies

Firefighters have been working tirelessly to take the fire under control, but from one hotspot early Tuesday, now at least seven fire-origin spots spread rapidly. People have difficulty finding their way out of the area and require help, shelter, and evacuation support. All these devastating things trigger criticism from the government and leaders of the state and the country.

California Governor Gavin Newsom stood beside President Biden at a Wednesday emergency briefing in Santa Monica. He explained that firefighting equipment had been placed in advance, expecting the strong Santa Ana winds to spread the flames. So far, five people have died, and many others are injured.

The fires have burned thousands of acres, destroying over 1,000 homes and businesses. President-elect Donald Trump criticized Newsom—who is seen as a possible 2028 Democratic presidential candidate—for not doing enough to reduce wildfire risks^[3]. He blamed the governor for failing to increase Southern California’s water supply and not clearing dry vegetation that experts warned could fuel wildfires.

"Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign a water restoration plan that would have sent millions of gallons of excess rain and snowmelt from the north to many parts of California, including the areas now burning in a nearly apocalyptic way," Trump said in a statement blaming him for the situation.

His son, Don Jr. pointed out that the LA fire department donated many supplies to Ukraine. Official statements from LAFD claim that among the obstacles are a shortage of people, significant winds and dryness, water shortage, not the lack of equipment.

Some firefighters battling the Pacific Palisades fire reported that hydrants had run dry. By Wednesday afternoon, the fire had spread to 12,000 acres and was still out of control, reaching Malibu along the coast.

LA mayor cut the fire department funding months before fires

California has faced many devastating wildfires in the past five years. In 2020, the August Complex Fire became the largest in state history, burning over 1 million acres. That same year, the Glass Fire destroyed homes and vineyards in Napa Valley.

In 2021, the Dixie Fire burned nearly a million acres, wiping out towns like Greenville. The Caldor Fire also forced thousands to flee from South Lake Tahoe. In 2022, the Mosquito Fire became the biggest of the year, destroying homes in the Sierra Nevada region.

The McKinney Fire in 2022 was deadly, killing four people. In 2023, the Hawaiian Fire near Los Angeles and the Fairview Fire in Riverside County spread fast due to strong winds and dry conditions. Wildfires have become more destructive each year, fueled by drought, high temperatures, and strong winds, leaving communities struggling to recover.

However, these past incidents have not done justice in making the government learn the lesson. Just months before these devastating fires started, LA mayor Karen Bass decided that focus on the homeless in the city is more important than wildfires and fire departments in general. She cut off $17,6 million from them^[4].

Now, the leader is facing criticism for this budget cut. Prioritizing the large homeless population was a big mistake since these funds went unspent, and the wildfire crisis hit the state sooner. It is revealed that she wanted to cut the budget even more. If Bass had it her way, LAFD would have been $23 million short.

Los Angeles Times owner Dr. Pat Soon-Shiong directly blames the mayor. Bass already has been criticized after these fires broke out because she was out of the country in Africa^[5]. She is returning to California right now, but criticism floods from other parties, too.

Former LA mayoral candidate Rick Caruso blamed her for these fire outbreaks, claiming that mismanagement was the reason they had gotten so out of control. "There's no water in the Palisades. There's no water coming out of the fire hydrants. This is an absolute mismanagement by the city. Not the firefighters' fault, but the city's," Caruso said.

President Biden approves California's major disaster declaration

Los Angeles is ravaged by multiple fires triggered by Santa Ana winds, and city officials already count devastating losses across the area. President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster in California and approved federal aid to help with recovery efforts after the wildfires and strong winds that began on January 7, 2025.

This means people in Los Angeles County can get federal help, including grants for temporary housing, home repairs, and low-cost loans to cover damage that insurance doesn’t pay for. There are also programs to help businesses and individuals recover.

The government will also help state, tribal, and local governments, as well as some nonprofit organizations, by covering part of the costs for emergency work in Los Angeles County. Additionally, funding will be available for long-term efforts to reduce future disaster risks across the state.

Curtis Brown from FEMA has been assigned to oversee federal recovery efforts. Officials are still assessing damage in other areas, and more counties may receive aid once the full impact is known.

Among residents with homes in the affected area are known faces like Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Kamala Harris. Celebrities from the area post constant updates on their well-being and it is reported that some of them have lost their homes to the fires^[6]. Anna Faris, Adam Brody and Leighton Meester reportedly suffered since the fire destroyed their homes.