A public health emergency has been declared after the numerous fire storms that have devastated the region and killed at least 11 people, Los Angeles County officials said during a news conference on Saturday morning in which they provided updates and addressed concerns.   During the morning multiagency press conference, officials shared details regarding the numerous wildfires that have burned over 37,000 acres across L.A. County with a death toll likely to rise once personnel with the Sheriff’s Department’s Homicide Bureau can safely access the area impacted by the fires, said Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna.  The federal government and L.A. County have declared a public health emergency, said Supervisor Kathryn Barger during the news conference and it  “will assist with staffing ratios at our medical facilities, both residential and at our hospitals, and ensure our displaced residents have access to the necessary medication and prescriptions,” among other things, she said.   This will also ensure that firefighters battling the multiple blazes will receive the appropriate resources to maintain their health and safety while protecting the numerous communities impacted.   A health emergency was declared due to the poor air quality and contaminated ocean water from Malibu Surfrider Beach to Dockweiler Beach, Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said during the news conference.   Barger added that a motion, coauthored by Horvath, was submitted to create a fund that will support the most impacted individuals by the fires, she added.   With the support across the nation, “it is paramount that we appropriately harness and utilize these resources to maximize the benefit to the impacted residents to address their most immediate needs,” Barger said.   In addition to the confirmed fatalities, 13 people were declared missing due to the mass casualty event. It is unknown if the missing individuals are connected to the confirmed fatalities, Luna said.  Smoke fills the air as Los Angeles County Fire Department personnel battle the Lidia Fire on Wednesday Jan. 8, 2025 in Acton, Calif. Katherine Quezada/The Signal Approximately 153,000 residents remain under evacuation orders as of Saturday morning and approximately 57,000 structures were still at risk, due to the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires, said Luna during the live news conference.  Evacuation warnings for a little over 166,000 residents were still in place.   “The decisions to evacuate or issue warnings are not made lightly,” Luna said. “We will adjust when the time is appropriate.”   Due to the fires, looters and other crimes such as trespassing and burglaries have led to 22 arrests and a curfew order was declared. A total of 19 arrests have been made in the Eaton Fire area, and three were made in the Palisades Fire area.   The curfew is scheduled from 6 p.m. to  6 a.m. until further notice, Luna added, and two people were arrested due to curfew violations just Friday night.   “This curfew will be strictly enforced and is being taken to enhance public safety, protect property and prevent any crime, specifically burglary or looting, in areas where residents have been evacuated,” Luna said during the news conference. “Anyone found in violation of this curfew will be subject to arrest for a misdemeanor offense,” which may result in a $1,000 fine or jail.   The Eaton Fire has increased to an estimated 14,117 acres with 15% containment as of Saturday, and over 7,000 structures have been damaged or destroyed, said L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone.  He also stated that up until next week, Wednesday, L.A. County is expected to have stronger Santa Ana winds creating a higher risk for wildfires.   “These winds, combined with dry air and dry vegetation will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County high,” he said, but reassured people that with the 2,832 personnel assigned to the incident, “L.A. County Fire will be prepared.”  “To our residents, please rest assured that we will continue to battle these wildfires until they are fully contained. We stand alongside all of you as we begin to plan for the repopulation, recovery, and the rebuilding,” he added.   Todd Hopkins, a spokesman for the CalFire Incident Management team in charge of the Palisades incident, said that the fire had increased to 21,596 acres with 11% containment. The fire has now expanded toward the northeast, threatening parts of the San Fernando Valley.  According to early aero estimates, approximately 5,316 structures have been destroyed, 426 of those were homes, Hopkins said. Other structures impacted included sheds, RVs, automobiles, and outbuildings. Over 105,000 residents remained under evacuation, he added.   Kevin McGowan, director of the Office of Emergency Management, addressed the ongoing issue of false evacuation alarms distributed countywide. McGowan said the false alerts were caused by the cell towers coming back online after they were offline due to the fires.   “The outdated alerts were cached in the system and as they came back online started being released to the public,” he said, and the agency is working with federal and state-level authorities and cellphone providers to flush out the outdated alerts.   “This has been frustrating, unacceptable, and the public is in the most need of accurate information and we are moving forward rapidly to reestablish that.”   The fires remained under investigation, Luna said.   The post Public health emergency declared due to wildfires  appeared first on Santa Clarita Valley Signal.