The Southern California Fires — January 8, 2025

Locator: 44642FIRES. 

Original Post, early morning, January 8, 2025. For the most part, the disaster had just begun.

Will post times/dates when updated (if I remember).

6:21 p.m. PT, January 8, 2025. No one is asking this question yet, but how long can these fires last? The Malibu Fire in 2018 started November 8, 2018, and was not fully contained until November 21, 2018. That fire burned just shy of 100,000 acres. Link here. The current Palisades Fire has burned about 16,000 acres. Another night of severe fires is still ahead of us.

6:11 p.m. PT, January 8, 2025. Literally breaking now: a fifth fire break outs. Near the Hollywood sign. 

• in the Hollywood Hills being dubbed the Sunset Fire. 
• Runyon Canyon: right in the center of the Hollywood Hills
• West Hollywood, north side
• one of the more densely populated areas of Los Angeles
• an iconic spot; huge tourist destination

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Original Post With Updates

Fires began overnight, January 7, 2025 — January 8, 2025. Wind gusts to nearly 100 mph set all-time records. Officials had planned / pre-positioned for one or two fires, never expected four fires. Did not have resources to fight four fires.

California fires:

• 0% controlled: first three fires at time of original post.
• three more hours until daylight (at time of original post, 3:36 a.m. PT, January 8, 2025)
  
• high winds won't begin to die down for several more hours
• peak wind hours right now (posted 3:36 a.m. PT, January 8, 2025)
•  Starlink absolutely critical for emergency services, news outlets, residents
• Starlink, wholly owned by SpaceX. Is it time for an EMX (Elon Musk ETF)?
• lack of brush clearance probably number one factor for loss of property once fires in California start
• something that's been known for decades; was mentioned this morning by reporters noting which neighborhoods took biggest hits
• question whether there is adequate water; Fire Department spokesmen say there is no shortage, but on the ground, some homeowners suggesting something else
• later: official Palisades fire department stated that hydrants at the. higher level did fail / run out of water, but it was for various causes, all of which could have been mitigated had the agencies taken appropriate action since the last major fire, lessons learned in 2011
• mayor of Palisades has not yet returned from her trip to Ghana; at 10:59 a.m. CT, January 8, 2025, it was stated she was on her last leg home, having departed DFW this morning.
  
• many, many big stories coming out of the Palisades fire
• one of the biggest fire breaks breached: the fire jumped the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH); reached the beach; took out historic sites, including the Reel Inn
• cars and at least one structure on the sand / on the beach were set on fire!
  
• major fires now, the first three occurred within hours of each other, late January 7, 2025:
• Eaton Canyon: 
• north of Los Angeles, north of Pasadena; Altadena.
  
• Hearst fire: 
• "the 210" and "the 5": 
• Sylmar to Santa Clara; northwest of Lost Angeles
• Sylmar fire: has been burning about six hours; began 10:00 p.m. local time, January 7, 2025
• lots of livestock, particularly horses
• broke out where "the 5" meets "the 410" and the"the 210"
  
• Palisades: 
• the one we're hearing the most about; west of Los Angeles; 
• Woodley: 
• fire, added 9:31 a.m. PST, January 8, 2025
  
• Sepulveda Valley, small fire; northwest corner of where "the 101" meets "the 405."
• apparently contained