With fire containment improving and winds easing, some residents are being allowed to return to neighborhoods devastated by the Eaton and Palisades fires.
Authorities estimate the fires have destroyed more than 12,000 structures, including many homes, making them two of the most destructive (and deadly) wildfires in California history. More than 8,600 firefighters are working the fires, and over the next few days the focus will be on building containment lines and extinguishing hot spots to prevent the fires from spreading.
This article is provided free of charge to help keep our community safe and supported during these devastating fires.
In the Palisades fire area, officials reopened areas north of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and south of Mulholland Drive; north of Old Topanga Canyon Road and south of Summit to Summit Motorway; north of Mulholland Highway and south of Stokes Canyon Road and north of Red Rock Road and south of Calabasas Peak Motorway.
In the Eaton Fire area, residents living along Canyon Crest Road toward the Meadows community east of El Prieto Road were allowed to return starting at 3 p.m.
“A soft closure means the area is closed to the general public,” the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in a statement. “It is still open to disaster teams, public safety personnel and ID-only residents. Only residents with valid proof of residency (driver's license, registration, utility bills, etc.) may enter and exit the soft closure area.”
The following areas are now open to residents only:
City of Los Angeles
- LOS-Q0765: North of Mulholland Drive and south of Adlon Road
- LOS-Q1118: North of Mulholland Drive and south of Hayvenhurst Drive
- LOS-Q0798: South of Mulholland Drive
- LOS-Q0782-B: South of Mission Dump Road
- LOS-Q0778-A: East of Canyonback Road
- LOS-Q0781-A: East of Canyonback Road near Mountaingate Drive
- LOS-Q0782-A: Area east of Mt. Saint Mary's Fire Road
- LOS-Q0780: Area east of North Kenter Avenue
Los Angeles County
- DRY-U026-A: North of Mulholland Highway and south of Stokes Canyon Road
- RRC-U027-A: North of Red Rock Road and south of Calabasas Peak Motorway
- TOP-U002: North of Old Topanga Canyon Road and south of Summit to Summit Motorway
- TOP-U001: North of Topanga Canyon Boulevard and south of Mulholland Drive
For the Eaton Fire, Altadena residents living along Canyon Crest Road toward Meadows east of El Prieto Road can also re-enter the area with identification.
The specific areas are the following:
- ALD-MEADOWS
- ALD MILARD B
- ALD MILARD C
Entry and exit points will be at the intersection of Canyon Crest Road and Lincoln Avenue.
The winds are expected to continue to dissipate this week, but it is shaping up to be a brief respite for the region. There is a growing risk that significant fire weather could return to Los Angeles and Ventura counties starting early next week. The region also faces continued danger due to extreme drought conditions and lack of rain.
The Eaton Fire, which swept through Altadana and surrounding neighborhoods, was 65% contained as of Friday morning. The fire has not increased in size since Jan. 10, when the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection listed it as 14,117 acres. Since then, crews have been working to surround the fire, secure defenses and prevent it from growing beyond their lines.
Similarly, the size of the Palisades Fire has remained at 23,713 acres since Sunday, as crews from all over descended on the fire zone and built a perimeter around it. Containment of the fire has increased from 11% on Sunday to 31% on Friday morning, meaning firefighters are confident that nearly a third of the fire's perimeter will not breach their defenses.
As the search through the rubble continues, the number of confirmed deaths in the fires has risen to at least 27.
