Several counties in Southern California are in a state of emergency due to several, fast-moving fires that have been carried and enhanced by Santa Anna winds.
Tuesday January 7 is when three major fires sparked in forestry areas in Southern California and with the help of hurricane force winds, collectively burned 22,000 acres in just 24 hours. The first fire, the Pacific Palisades, began at 10:30 a.m. on that day near 1190 North Piedra Morada (near Pacific Coast Highway near Malibu, Calif.), according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Winds reaching at least 40+ mph, quickly spread the original 10-acre fire to 200 acres in roughly 12 minutes. The Pacific Palisades fire has burned 17,230+ acres with 0 percent containment, where over 1,000 building have been destroyed by fire.
Meanwhile, the Eaton fire started in Altadena on the late evening of January 7. It has taken the lives of five people and injured several others. Over 750 firefighters have been working tirelessly over the Eaton fire and yet 10,600 acres have burned and there is 0 percent containment as of January 9 at 9:00 AM PST. The Hurst fire also began that late night, burning 855 acres in just a few hours; it is 10 percent contained as of January 9 at 9:00 AM PST.
Also on that Tuesday, due to the high winds over 50 mph, flight restrictions over the affected burn areas prevented fire fighters from dropping flame retardants over the area and the media from getting a full picture of the fires.