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LOS ANGELES - Firefighters continue to battle deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County on Friday, and a new fire that was sparked Thursday evening is being investigated as arson.
At least 8 people were killed in the fires, and thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed. Nearly 180,000 residents were under evacuation orders Thursday night.
Fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds and extreme drought conditions, most of the towering fires that began Tuesday were still uncontained Thursday.
Firefighters from the Los Angeles County Fire Department stand vigilant as they battle wildfires in Los Angeles while several blazes continue to tear through the region on Jan. 10, 2025. (Photo by Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Images)
The Kenneth Fire, which sparked around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the West Hills/Hidden Hills area, may have been started by a person, LAPD said Thursday. A person of interest has been detained.
In Woodland Hills, residents say a man was riding around on a bicycle carrying a large blow torch, trying to set multiple old Christmas trees and garbage cans on fire. When the man rode away, neighbors followed him, and eventually stepped in.
One neighbor said that a group went up and grabbed the man, even zip-tying him at one point.
An emergency alert with evacuation warnings was mistakenly sent to cell phones across most of Los Angeles County Thursday afternoon, increasing panic for residents who are already scared. Officials later said it was only meant to go to residents impacted by the Kenneth Fire.
AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, increased its estimate of the damage and economic loss to $135 billion to $150 billion. Government officials have not yet released any damage estimates.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said California has deployed more than 1,400 firefighting personnel to battle the blazes. Oregon, Washington, Utah, New Mexico and Arizona dispatched teams to assist.
Firefighting plane grounded
Additionally, a drone collided with a Super Scooper at an unknown time on Thursday, officials said during a news conference on Friday. A drone hit the wing of a CL 415 Super Scooper aircraft which Los Angeles has on contract from Canada.
Maintenance staff at the Van Nuys Airport discovered a fist-sized hole in the leading edge of the wing. The aircraft, which has been helping with air drops during the fires, will be out of commission until Monday, officials estimated, as crews work to repair it. The aircraft was one of two that have been assisting with firefighting.
It is illegal to fly drones in the fire traffic areas, officials said. Federal partners are working to locate and identify the operators of any drones that are flying illegally in the wildfire zones.
"The most important thing to know is that if you fly a drone at one of these brush fires, all aerial operations will be shutdown. And we certainly don't want to have that happen," officials said.
Curfew issued
Officials implemented a curfew for the Palisades and Eaton Fire areas, and this includes all mandatory evacuation zones.
The curfew, which began last night and ended at 6 a.m. PT on Friday morning, will be put into effect once again at 6 p.m. PT on Friday evening.
Palisades Fire
Acres burned: 20,438
At least two people were killed in the massive Palisades Fire, which started Tuesday and was still burning Thursday night with only 6% containment. Firefighters say 30,000 people are under mandatory evacuation orders.
Eaton Fire
Acres burned: 13,956
The Eaton Fire in the Angeles National Forest and LA's San Gabriel Valley, including the communities of Altadena and La Cañada Flintridge, has killed at least six people.
In an update Thursday afternoon, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said the fire is estimated at 13,956 acres with 3% containment. Investigators believe at least 4,000 to 5,000 structures including homes, commercial structures, or other smaller buildings, are either damaged or destroyed.
Multiple injuries have been reported, including a firefighter who suffered a "significant injury from a fall" Thursday morning, Marrone said
Kenneth Fire
Acres burned: 1,000
The Kenneth Fire started around 2:30 p.m. Thursday in the West Hills/Hidden Hills area and is being investigated as arson. A person of interest has been detained.
Evacuation orders and warnings were lifted around 5:30 p.m. Thursday. Officials say the fire is now solely in Ventura County.
For more detailed information about evacuation warnings and orders for the West Hills Fire, click here.
Hurst Fire
Acres burned: 771
The Hurst Fire, which was first reported about 10:30 p.m. Tuesday in the 5900 block of Yarnell Street, was 37% contained by Wednesday evening.
The governor's office estimated that more than 44,000 people in the area were under evacuation orders, with 40,000 structures threatened.
Lidia Fire
Acres burned: 395
While the Lidia Fire is significantly smaller than the other larger fires burning across Los Angeles County, it has prompted evacuation warnings and orders across a large swath of zones.
The fire is about 75% contained.
The Source: This report includes information from the Associated Press, FOX LA and previous LiveNow from FOX reporting.