Even after a two-day nightmare, L.A. girds for more days of fire weather

Much of Los Angeles County remains under a red flag warning, with forecasters warning of critical fire weather to last through Friday night.

Firefighters Thursday were continuing to fight the Palisades fire, which has burned more than 17,000 acres, and the Eaton fire that burned through Pasadena and Altadena areas, charring more than 10,000 acres.

But Los Angeles caught a break Wednesday, with firefighters able to keep limited a wildfire that broke out near Runyon Canyon above Hollywood Wednesday, and kept a house fire in Studio City from spreading.

A firefighter sprays water on the Sunset fire on Vista street on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA.

(Jason Armond/Los Angeles Times)

Unlike the catastrophic conditions on Tuesday night, where gusts of up to 100 mph were recorded, on Wednesday night, aircraft were able to make water drops on the Sunset fire. Officials initially ordered a mandatory evacuation of a swath of Hollywood — north of Hollywood Boulevard — but later canceled most of the evacuation orders.

Officials urged people to still be vigilant. By Thursday afternoon, winds are expected to bump back up along the region’s Santa Ana wind corridors, with gusts from the northeast of up to 40 mph, and isolated gusts of up to 70 mph.

Winds should peak Thursday evening into early Friday morning, the weather service said.

The weather service warned that foothills facing the south could face erratic winds, “which may lead to chaotic fire growth.”

Here’s the latest on the major fires burning in Los Angeles County:

Palisades fire

• 17,234 acres burned
• 0% containment

Eaton fire

• 10,600 acres burned
• 0% containment