At least 5 people have died, and nearly 180,000 under evacuation orders. The fires are the most destructive ever to hit LA County.  Compiled from Contributing Writers and News Services  Los Angeles County continued to burn Thursday as firefighters worked to contain several wildfires that sparked over the past two days, scorching tens of thousands of acres.  Here’s what to know about the fires, with all of the following information compiled as of mid-afternoon on Thursday:  • President Joe Biden has issued a major disaster declaration for the state of California.  • At least five people are dead and a “high number” of injuries have been sustained by residents and firefighters, local officials said. The death toll is expected to rise.  • Nearly 180,000 residents are under evacuation orders as of Thursday afternoon.  • More than 7,500 state, local, and federal personnel have been deployed to fight the flames.  • More than 29,000 acres have burned.  • More than 1,000 structures have been destroyed.  • High fire risk conditions are expected to continue into Friday.  • Uber and Lyft are offering free rides to evacuees, and the Los Angeles Metro system has suspended all fare collection.  • Airbnb is offering free temporary housing for displaced residents.  • The first few brush fires broke out on Tuesday, where the Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst fires continue to rage. Smaller blazes that have sparked since and continue to burn include the Lidia and Sunset fires.  • The Sunset fire is fully contained, the Lidia fire is 40% contained, and the Hurst fire is 10% contained. All others are uncontained.  LA Officials Have No Firm Death Toll Number  The death toll from this week’s catastrophic fires has not yet been determined, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.  “Right now, we frankly don’t know yet,” Luna said at a joint multi-agency news conference Thursday morning at the county Hall of Administration in Downtown L.A.  Officials said five people had died in the Eaton Fire by Wednesday, although the sheriff said the preliminary numbers he was getting from ground crews about how many had died could be incomplete.  The sheriff is working with the county Medical Examiner’s office. They plan to bring in police dogs to help find people who may have perished in the multiple fires still burning across the county.  “These people are working under very difficult conditions,” Luna said, adding that it “looks like a bomb was dropped” in some areas. “This is a crisis. We don’t know what to expect but we’re ready for anything.”  Palisades Fire One of ‘Most Destructive Natural Disasters’ in LA History, Says Fire Chief  The destruction wrought by a massive wildfire threatening lives and homes in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades neighborhood is of historic proportions, according to Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristen Crowley.  “It is safe to say that the Palisades fire is one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles,” Crowley said at a Thursday morning press conference.  The Palisades fire is by far the largest of several brush fires currently torching Southern California, engulfing a staggering 17,234 acres. As of Thursday afternoon, the fire remains completely uncontained since it first sparked on Tuesday.  Crowley noted that “extreme fire behavior” continues to complicate firefighters’ efforts to tame the blaze, with wind gusts of up to 60 mph expected to continue throughout Thursday.  She added that current estimates for the number of damaged or destroyed structures are “in the thousands.”  “Firefighters and air resources will continue to work to protect the community and infrastructures and gain control so that we can contain this fire damage,” Crowley said.  Eaton Fire Growth Slows; Palisades Fire Expands  Growth of the deadly Eaton Fire burning east of Los Angeles in Altadena and Pasadena has slowed, but the Palisades Fire spread to 17,200 acres by Thursday morning, according to fire officials.  The two massive and destructive fires continued to burn and remained uncontained, fire officials reported.  Firefighters took advantage of a break in strong winds on Tuesday night, slowing the expansion of the Eaton Fire, which was mapped at about 10,600 acres on Thursday morning.  Firefighters were helped by the use of aircraft overnight as the winds decreased, officials reported.  Pasadena Fire chief Chad Augustine said Wednesday the city expected to have an additional 50 strike teams, including some from Arizona, attacking the blaze on Thursday.  Fire crews were progressing on two other smaller but still dangerous wildfires, both of which have impacted the Santa Clarita Valley.   The Hurst Fire, which started near Sylmar and has burned mostly in the hills between the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, reached 855 acres with 10% containment, while the Lidia Fire near Acton grew to nearly 350 acres with 40% of that contained.  Weather officials forecasted increased Santa Ana winds on Thursday, with increased fire spread.  “With high-end red flag warning conditions in effect through Friday morning (due to increased Santa Ana winds), there will be increased risk of rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, including long-range spotting, on existing fires as well as any new fires,” the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office reported Thursday.  Sunset Fire Now Fully Contained  Firefighters have fully contained the Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills, according to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass.  “Thanks to the bravery and collaboration of our [Los Angeles Fire Department], the #SunsetFire is fully contained,” Bass reported in an update on the social media platform X.  “If you are returning home, please drive SLOWLY and watch the road. Firefighters are still working in some damaged areas.”  The good news comes hours after officials lifted all remaining evacuation orders for residents in the area.  The fire, which sparked on Wednesday night, grew to 60 acres in size before it was contained.  Nearly 420,000 Residents Remain Without Power Thursday  Nearly 420,000 Southern California customers remained without power on Thursday as fires continued to burn amid strong Santa Ana winds.  In Los Angeles County, more than 213,000 customers were without power, according to poweroutage.us.  The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported 90,700 disconnections, while more than 4,000 in Glendale and 1,700 in Pasadena were without power.  Another nearly 116,000 customers in the Southern California region served by Southern California Edison were without electricity on Thursday.  Some customers were disconnected as a safety precaution as winds continued to gust up to 100 mph on Wednesday. In Los Angeles County, 40,200 customers were disconnected for public safety reasons, while Ventura County customer safety cutoffs reached nearly 48,000, according to SCE.  Gas shutoffs also affected about 15,000 people in the Malibu area, according to officials.  The utility was considering disconnecting power to another 440,300 to prevent fire sparking from live utility lines on Thursday. SCE has opened several community resource centers across the region to provide backup power to residents.  Defense Department Stands Ready to Help, Secretary Says  Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said California has made only a “few requests” for military aid in fighting the fires, though his department is prepared to assist as needed.  “We stand ready to surge capability in as quickly as possible,” Austin said at a press conference in Germany.  “I’ve done some things to cause our troops to get in a three-point stance to make sure that … if the whistle blows, we are ready to move in and provide assistance.”  He added that his department is working with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and California officials to assess next steps.  President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for California on Wednesday. In doing so, he ordered the Defense Department to provide the state with additional firefighting personnel, 10 Navy helicopters with water delivery buckets, and four modular air firefighting system units.  Nearly 180,000 Forced to Flee Flames  Nearly 180,000 Los Angeles County residents remained under mandatory evacuation orders Thursday.  Another 200,000 were under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at the Thursday press conference.  The county issues mandatory evacuation orders to residents facing an immediate threat to their lives. Warnings are issued when there is a potential threat to life or property.  “I cannot emphasize enough that I urge residents that are asked to evacuate to follow our warnings,” Luna said, noting that his officers’ lives had already been endangered by residents who chose to stay put. “I don’t want to tell those stories anymore. I don’t want to give stories of our first responders being injured.”  LA County Infrastructure ‘Destroyed’ in Fire Area  Catastrophic fires burning in Pacific Palisades and the Pasadena area east of Los Angeles have destroyed much of the infrastructure in the communities, Los Angeles County Director of Public Works Mark Prestrella said at the Thursday morning press conference.  “It’s an absolute tragedy,” Prestrella said.  The county is continuing to assess fire-damaged neighborhoods and communities and is focusing on the recovery of these areas, according to Prestrella.  The county cautioned anyone who stayed behind in the fire zones to be cautious of toxic and hazardous debris.  “Your sewer, water, power and transportation systems have all been significantly damaged,” Prestrella said.  The county has started removing debris, but it is “not safe” for residents or others to touch it, he said.  The city water reservoirs are being used by aircraft to fight the fires. They remain full and continued to be ready for firefighting.  Residents in Pasadena and Pacific Palisades, Topanga Canyon, and other surrounding areas were asked to boil their water as a precaution. The county is delivering water to people who remained in the fire zones.  California Assemblyman Urges Newsom to Call Special Session on Fires  California Assemblyman Bill Essayli sent a letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday, urging him to put aside partisan politics and call a special session of the state Legislature to address wildfire mitigation.  “Now is not the time for political posturing or spending millions to ‘Trump-proof’ California,” Essayli wrote in his letter. “Instead, it’s time to take significant action to fireproof our state.”  He said that the four wildfires burning in Los Angeles County “are emblematic of California’s ongoing wildfire crisis.”  Essayli said the state recorded more than 8,000 wildfires in 2024 alone, which burned more than 1 million acres, displaced thousands, and took lives.  The purpose of the special session, Essayli said, would be to begin upgrading the state’s infrastructure, provide funding to critical firefighting efforts, address the state’s fire insurance crisis, and make policy changes that would allow for necessary mitigation practices like controlled burns and moving power lines underground.  “Homes and businesses have been lost, insurers are leaving the state, and fire insurance premiums have become unaffordable for many Californians,” he wrote. “Despite these significant wildfires, California has not changed its approach to wildfire prevention policies. As the world’s fifth-largest economy, this is unacceptable.”  Paris Hilton Watches Malibu Home Burn Down on Live TV  Paris Hilton is left heartbroken after losing her Malibu home amid the ongoing wildfires sweeping across Southern California, but is using her tragedy to help others in similar scenarios.  Taking to social media on Wednesday, the 43-year-old said she learned of her loss by watching her home burn down on live news coverage of the devastating fires with a reporter surveying damage along the Pacific Coast Highway.  “Heartbroken beyond words,” she wrote on Instagram. “Sitting with my family, watching the news, and seeing our home in Malibu burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience. This home was where we built so many precious memories.”  “While the loss is overwhelming, I’m holding onto gratitude that my family and pets are safe. My heart and prayers are going out to every family affected by these fires. To all the people who have lost their homes, their memories, and their beloved pets,” Hilton continued. “My heartaches [sic] for those still in harm’s way or mourning greater losses. The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking.”  Through her global media content company, the businesswoman and activist is committed to working closely with nonprofit organizations to best assist those affected.  “My 11:11 Media Impact Team is already reaching out to nonprofit organizations today to figure out how we can best support the communities impacted by these fires,” she wrote. “We’re committed to offering help as soon as possible and making a meaningful difference for those who need it most.”   Hilton is one of many celebrities who have lost their homes in the wildfires, including Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Spencer and Heidi Pratt, James Woods, Anna Faris, Billy Crystal, and others.  LA Schools to Remain Closed on Jan. 10  The Los Angeles Unified School District has confirmed its schools and offices will remain closed on Friday as wildfires continue to rage across the county.  “The confluence of factors — wind, fire and smoke — have created unpredictable, complex situations that present potentially unsafe conditions for our school communities,” the district said in its press release on Thursday.  This marks the third day that the schools will be closed, following the destruction of Marquez Charter Elementary and Palisades Elementary Charter in Pacific Palisades, and significant damage dealt to Palisades Charter High School.  Students will retain digital access to learning materials.  However, 16 sites throughout the district will be open from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. PST on Friday to provide two meals for each student in the district.  Those sites include Mulholland Middle School, San Fernando Middle School, Los Angeles Academy Middle School, Fremont High School, Barack Obama Global Preparation Academy, and Marina Del Ray Middle School.  “Select essential personnel will be contacted by their supervisors regarding potential work duties,” the district said. “As the Los Angeles region continues responding to this unprecedented crisis, the health and safety of our students and employees are of the utmost importance.”  Jamie Lee Curtis Pledges $1 Million for Relief Efforts  Actress Jamie Lee Curtis and her family will donate $1 million to help California rebuild once the flames have been extinguished.  “My husband and I and our children have pledged $1 million from our Family Foundation to start a fund of support for our great city and state and the great people who live and love there,” Curtis announced via her Instagram account on Thursday.  “I’m in communication with Gov. (Gavin) Newsom and Mayor Bass and Sen. (Adam) Schiff as to where those funds need to be directed for the most impact.”  The commitment followed another post in which the actress encouraged others to “offer your hand, home and resources” to those affected by the wildfires.  “We are going to have to come together, as we may never have done before, in the City of Angels and help each other. AND WE WILL!”  Lakers-Hornets Game Postponed  The NBA postponed the basketball game between the Charlotte Hornets and the Los Angeles Lakers scheduled for Thursday night as Los Angeles continues to burn.  The game was slated to take place at the Crypto.com Arena, about 13 miles from the spot in Hollywood Hills where firefighters worked to extinguish the Sunset brush fire.  The date for the rescheduled game has yet to be announced.  “The entire NBA family sends its thoughts and support to the community of Los Angeles during this challenging time. We are grateful for the thousands of local firefighters and first responders who have demonstrated enormous bravery. Our prayers remain with those affected by the unimaginable devastation caused by the wildfires,” the NBA said in a statement on Thursday.  20 Arrested for Looting, Other Crimes Amid LA Fires  Some 20 people have been arrested for looting and other crimes amid the devastation wrought by the wildfires razing Southern California, Los Angeles County officials said on Thursday.  “In the midst of the emergency, we’ve all seen individuals who are targeting vulnerable communities by burglarizing and looting homes. This is simply unacceptable,” Kathryn Barger, chair of the county’s Board of Supervisors, said at the Thursday morning press conference.  “Shame on those who are preying on our residents during this time of crisis,” Barger said, assuring that offenders would be held accountable.  She added that the Sheriff’s Department is actively patrolling affected communities to protect against criminal activity.  Musk Promises Free Starlink to Areas Affected by Wildfires  Elon Musk confirmed on social media platform X that SpaceX will provide free Starlink terminals to the areas around Los Angeles affected by the wildfires.  “SpaceX will provide free Starlink terminals to affected areas in L.A. tomorrow morning,” he wrote on Thursday in response to a local Fox News clip crediting Starlink for its ability to maintain on-the-ground coverage of the disaster.  The Los Angeles fires is the latest disaster in which Starlink terminals will be provided, following previous deployments during hurricane season, including in areas of Florida and North Carolina after Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.  The post Updates: Deadly wildfires continue to rage across LA County  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.