Palisades Fire grows to most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles County’s history, California
The Palisades Fire, now the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles County’s history, has burned through over 8 094 ha (20 000 acres), destroyed more than 5 300 structures, and left Pacific Palisades in ruins since it ignited on January 7, 2024. With only 6% containment, the fire has ravaged entire neighborhoods, including some of the nation’s most affluent areas.
Satellite image of the Palisades Fire. Image credit: CopernicusEU/Sentinel-2, EO Browser, The Watchers. Acquired on January 7, 2025
- The Palisades Fire has become the most destructive wildfire in Los Angeles County’s history, burning through over 8 094 ha (20 000 acres) and destroying more than 5 300 structures, with only 6% containment.
- The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire are both active, with the latter burning through 14 000 acres (5 665 hectares) at 0% containment, contributing to massive structural losses and heightened threats to nearly 40 000 structures.
- At least 10 deaths have been reported, though unconfirmed, and significant landmarks, including churches and schools, have been reduced to ashes.
- Entire neighborhoods north of Sunset Boulevard and parts of downtown Pacific Palisades have been devastated.
- Experts predict the Palisades Fire could become the costliest wildfire in California’s history. High-profile celebrities and affluent residents in Malibu and Pacific Palisades have lost homes, while looting incidents during the disaster have led to 20 arrests.
The Palisades Fire has become the most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County, having burned through nearly 8 094 ha (20 000 acres) since ignition on Tuesday, January 7, and destroying more than 5 300 structures. The fire is still burning, with only 6% containment, as of Friday, January 10.
The entire Pacific Palisades area has been devastated by the blaze, which has scorched the region and destroyed some of the most affluent neighborhoods in the country. Beachfront houses in the Malibu area have also been severely damaged by the fire.
Nearly every structure north of Sunset Boulevard has been destroyed, along with much of the neighborhood’s downtown area. Significant landmarks, including the Community United Methodist Church of Pacific Palisades, St. Matthews Episcopal Parish School, and the Pacific Palisades Business Block, were among those destroyed.
The Palisades Fire, the largest of four major wildfires currently affecting Los Angeles County, is expected to become the costliest wildfire in history, according to Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles.
“It is plausible that the Palisades Fire, in particular, will become the costliest on record—not just in California, but overall,” Swain stated. “We’ve likely checked that box this time. I’m hoping we don’t check other boxes as well,” he added.
Reports suggest more than 10 deaths have occurred due to the active fires in the region, though these figures remain unconfirmed. Bodies have reportedly been discovered in houses in Malibu.
In addition, at least 180 000 people have been forced out of their homes due to the burning fires.
Several celebrities have lost their homes in Malibu due to the fire. Jamie Lee Curtis, James Woods, Mandy Moore, Mark Hamill, and Maria Shriver were among those forced to evacuate. Paris Hilton’s beachfront home was also destroyed by the blaze.
The Eaton Fire, the second most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles County, is burning concurrently with the Palisades Fire. This blaze has burned nearly 5 665 ha (14 000 acres) and remains at 0% containment since igniting on Tuesday.
The fire has killed at least five people, injured five firefighters, and destroyed more than 4 000 structures, with nearly 40 000 additional structures under threat, according to official reports. Media outlets suggest the actual figures could be higher as assessments are still underway.
At least 20 individuals have been arrested for looting since the fires began on Tuesday. “In the midst of the emergency, we have all seen individuals targeting vulnerable communities by burglarizing and looting homes. This is simply unacceptable,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger stated on Thursday.
The Palisades and Eaton fires are the most destructive wildfires ever to strike Los Angeles County and rank among the most devastating in California’s history. The most destructive wildfire in California to date remains the Camp Fire of November 2018, which burned more than 61 915 ha (153 000 acres), destroyed nearly 19 000 structures, and claimed 85 lives.
References:
1 California wildfires live updates: 179,000 under evacuation orders; L.A. County sheriff says some areas look ‘like a bomb was dropped’ – NBC – January 10, 2024
2 Palisades Fire status update report- Calfire – January 10, 2024
3 Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires – Calfire – Accessed on January 10, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
FYI — 10 dead, 10K structures destroyed as LA fires turn neighborhoods into ash: Live updates —
– USA Today –
FYI — Live Updates: Fires in California leave at least 11 dead, decimate Los Angeles area —
— Palisades Fire forces new evacuation orders in Brentwood, Encino —
CBS News