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A series of ferocious wildfires erupted across the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, fuelled by powerful winds and dry conditions.

At least five people have been killed and dozens more injured, with many of the remaining fires not contained at all by the emergency services.

Some 130,000 people are now under mandatory evacuation orders across the city.

California wildfires latest: Follow live updates

Los Angeles County Fire chief Anthony Marrone estimated that 1,000 homes and businesses have burned in the Palisades fire, the largest of the blazes in the south of the city, alone and that 100 more have been destroyed in the Eaton fire.

The US flag flies as flames from the Palisades Fire engulf a structure during a windstorm on the west of Los Angeles. Pic: Reuters
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Pic: Reuters

A preliminary review from insurance analysts at JP Morgan estimated that losses from the fires could top $10bn (£8.1bn), Sky News’ US partner network NBC News reported.

Here is everything we know about the blazes, in what fire chiefs have called a “tragic” chapter for the city.

Flames rise from the Sunset fire in the hills overlooking the Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, U.S. January 8, 2025. REUTERS/David Swanson
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Flames rise from the Sunset fire. Pic: Reuters

A vehicle and other structures are burned as the Palisades Fire ravages a neighborhood amid high winds in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
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The damage left behind due to fire in Pacific Palisades. Pic: AP

Where are the fires, and how big are they?

There are currently five major fires raging across LA.

Here is a list of how big they are and how “contained” they are – referring to what degree the fire department has them under control.

California map
The California wildfires as of Thursday morning.
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The California wildfires as of Thursday morning

Palisades fire

A bush fire started the blaze in Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles County neighbourhood east of Malibu, on Tuesday morning.

By Wednesday afternoon, it had grown to more than 15,000 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Currently, it is covering at least 17,234 acres and is 0% contained by firefighters.

LA Pacific Pailsades map
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The largest of the blazes is in the Pacific Pailsades area

Eaton fire

The Eaton fire ignited Tuesday night near a canyon in the sprawling national forest lands north of downtown LA and had exploded to more than 10,000 acres by Wednesday, according to the US Forest Service.

Currently, it covers at least 10,600 acres and is 0% contained.

Hurst fire

Also on Tuesday night a fire broke out in Sylmar, a suburban neighbourhood north of San Fernando, after a brush fire.

It quickly grew to 500 acres, and currently covers 855 acres. It is 10% contained.

Lidia fire

The Lidia fire broke out near the community of Acton in a region between the Sierra Pelona and San Gabriel mountains.

Currently, at least 348 acres are affected by the blaze. It is 40% contained.

Sunset fire

The Sunset fire was sparked in the Hollywood Hills of LA, near Runyon Canyon, shortly before 6pm local time on Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuations.

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Wildfires burn through Hollywood Hills

The blaze currently covers 43 acres and is 0% contained.

The Woodley fire in Sepulveda Basin was “under control” before it grew beyond 30 acres, while a blaze that engulfed Hollywood’s Studio City has now been extinguished, with no casualties.

A satellite image shows houses before devastating wildfires, in Altadena, California.
Pic: Maxar/Reuters
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Altadena in California before the fires.
Pic: Maxar/Reuters

A satellite image shows smoke covering houses after devastating wildfires, in Altadena, California
Pic: Maxar/Reuters
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And after. Pic: Maxar/Reuters

Why is this happening in January – and when is wildfire season?

The typical wildfire season in the US usually kicks off mid-year, around May.

But the main culprit for the current blazes in LA is the Santa Ana winds – extreme, dry winds that are common in colder winter months.

Spread of LA fires - Tuesday 2.11pm
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The spread of the fire on Tuesday afternoon

Spread of LA fires - Wednesday 12.40am
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And its progression early on Wednesday morning

Wind speeds of up to 100mph work to spread the flames and coupled with a lack of humidity in the air, and patches of dry vegetation, the ground is much more flammable.

These winds create an “atmospheric blow-dryer” effect that will “dry things out even further”, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), said.

The longer the extreme wind persists, the drier the vegetation will become, he said.

Eyewitness: ‘Truly apocalyptic scenes’

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How fast did the wildfires spread?

California governor Gavin Newsom said fire season has become “year-round in the state of California” despite the state not “traditionally” seeing fires at this time of year – apparently alluding to the impact of climate change.

Why are firefighters running out of water?

The demanding nature of the fires has led to reports that fire hydrants across the city have gone dry.

Wildfire attorney Ari Friedman, a partner and trial attorney at the Los Angeles-based law firm Wisner Baum, put this down to the increased demand simply overwhelming the supply.

A satellite image shows the Pacific Coast Highway along the Malibu coastline before devastating wildfires.
Pic: Maxr/Reuters
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A satellite image shows the Pacific Coast Highway along the Malibu coastline before devastating wildfires.Pic: Maxr/Reuters

A satellite image shows smoke covering the Pacific Coast Highway along the Malibu coastline.
Pic: Maxar/Reuters
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The same satellite view after fires broke out.
Pic: Maxar/Reuters

But, he said, this “doesn’t immediately point to an equipment or water line failure as a lawyer might think of it”.

Mr Friedman added that the Palisades area, the site of the biggest fire, is served by water tanks because of the area’s high elevation.

Which celebrities have been impacted?

Hollywood celebrities are among the thousands of people who have been evacuated, while some have said they have lost their homes completely due to the fires.

The likes of Paris Hilton and actor Billy Crystal both described the anguish of losing the homes they raised their children in, with the socialite saying she was “heartbroken beyond words” to see her Malibu home “burn to the ground on live TV”.

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Actor tells Sky News of wildfires ‘panic’

Oscar-winning songwriter Diane Warren said she had also lost her home of 30 years in the fires, while The Hills stars Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag also confirmed they had lost their home in the fires.

American presenter and actress Ricki Lake posted on Instagram to say she had lost her “dream home”, the same place she and her husband got married three years ago.

Sky News’ US correspondent Martha Kelner reported that Tom Hanks, Ben Affleck and Reese Witherspoon were all evacuated as wildfires continued to spread in the Pacific Palisades suburb of LA – an area known to be home to billionaires and A-listers.

The havoc caused by the fires has also led to the cancellation of several key dates in the awards season calendar.

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Stephanie Pratt: ‘I don’t know if my house is there’

The annual Critics Choice Awards ceremony was due to take place this weekend, but has been postponed by two weeks, to 26 January, “due to the catastrophic fires”, organisers said in a statement.

While the nomination voting window for The Oscars has reportedly been extended by two days.

Production on several television programmes, including America’s Got Talent, Loot, Ted, Suits: LA, Happy’s Place and Hacks, is also at a standstill.

What have Trump and Biden said?

The White House said on Wednesday that President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for California that will clear the way for federal funds and resources to be accessed in recovery efforts.

A statement said the president is “focused on mobilising life-saving and life-sustaining resources across the region,” and that he is “praying for those who lost loved ones, had property damaged, were injured, and for everyone affected by this and other devastating fires in the area”.

He has also cancelled his coming trip to Italy to deal with the wildfires.

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Trump blames governor for wildfires

Meanwhile, president-elect Donald Trump took aim at California’s governor Mr Newsom, repeating claims that firefighters did not have enough water in their hydrants to tackle the blaze.

“It’s a mistake of the governor, and you can say the administration,” he said on Wednesday evening.

“They don’t have any water. They didn’t have water in the fire hydrants. The governor has not done a good job.”

When will the fire weather end?

The winds that have been fuelling the blazes are beginning to drop, but dangerous conditions are expected to persist through until at least Friday, NBC said.

Climate scientist Daniel Swain said some of the driest vegetation will come after the strongest winds have died down, warning: “So the reality is that there’s going to be a very long period of high fire risk.”

A warning for high wind remains in place for parts of greater Los Angeles, including the Malibu coast and the Santa Monica Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

The forecaster suggests wind speeds could reach up to 60 mph.

Red flag warnings – which are issued by the National Weather Service to warn the public and authorities of imminent weather conditions that may result in extreme fire – are also set to remain in place until at least 6pm local time on Friday.

Humidity levels are expected to stay low, and they could dip into single digits in some areas into Friday.

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More than 160 people still missing after deadly Texas floods

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More than 160 people still missing after deadly Texas floods

There are 161 people still missing in Texas in the aftermath of last weekend’s deadly flash floods, the state’s governor has said.

Speaking at a news conference on Tuesday, governor Gregg Abbot said the number of missing had risen markedly.

He said among the missing were five children and one counsellor from Camp Mystic – where at least 27 people were killed in the flash flooding.

At least 109 people are confirmed to have died in the floods, which took place on the 4 July weekend, but this figure has been steadily climbing ever since.

People comfort each other in Kerville. Pic: Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP
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People comforted each other in Kerville. Pic: Jason Fochtman/Houston Chronicle via AP

The bulk of deaths, and the main search for additional bodies, have been concentrated in Kerr County and the city of Kerrville.

The area was transformed into a disaster zone when torrential rains struck the region early last Friday, unleashing deadly flooding along the Guadalupe River.

Travis County, Kendall County, Burnett County, Williamson County, and Tom Green County were also hit.

Mr Abbot said many of those who were unaccounted for were in the Texas Hill Country area, but had not registered at a camp or hotel, posing further challenges for authorities.

A map of Austin, Kerrville, San Antonio and Texas Hill Country area
A map of Kerr County, showing Camp Mystic and Kerrville

Camp Mystic

Mr Abbot planned to make another visit to Camp Mystic.

The century-old all-girls Christian summer camp was badly hit by the flash floods, with at least 27 campers and counsellors dying.

Hanna Lawrence, left, and Rebecca Lawrence, right. Pic: John Lawrence/AP
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Hanna Lawrence, left, and Rebecca Lawrence, right. Pic: John Lawrence/AP

Lila Bonner (L), 9, and Eloise Peck, 9, both died in the flash floods at Camp Mystic, Texas. Pic: Family handout
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Lila Bonner (L) and Eloise Peck both died in the flash floods at Camp Mystic, Texas. Pic: Family handout

Chloe Childress. Pic: Debra Alexander Photography via AP
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Chloe Childress. Pic: Debra Alexander Photography via AP

Some of the victims include Hanna and Rebecca Lawrence, both eight, Chloe Childress, 19, who was among the counsellors at Camp Mystic when the flood hit, and Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner, both nine.

There were scenes of devastation at the camp as the flood water receded.

Outside the cabins where the girls had slept, mud-splattered blankets and pillows were scattered.

Also in the debris were pink, purple and light blue luggage, decorated with stickers.

A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding. Pic: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
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A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding. Pic: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Camper's belongings lie on the ground following flooding on the Guadalupe River, at Camp Mystic.
Pic: Reuters
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Camper’s belongings lie on the ground following flooding on the Guadalupe River, at Camp Mystic.
Pic: Reuters

‘Everything looked flooded and broken’

One of the campers, 10-year-old Lucy Kennedy, told Sky’s US partner network, NBC News, that she woke up to the sound of thunder at around midnight before the floods struck.

“I couldn’t go back to sleep,” she said. “I just had a feeling that something really bad was about to happen.”

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She said the girls at the camp were told to grab blankets, pillows and water bottles and line up single file as the floodwater rose, before getting airlifted to safety.

Wynne Kennedy, Lucy’s mother, added: “When I saw her, she was wrapped up in a blanket, had a teddy bear.

“We just held each other tight, and I held her all night.”

Their home in Kerrville was also destroyed by the flash floods.

Lucy Kennedy, 10 who was rescued from Camp Mystic, and her mother Wynne. Pic: NBC
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Lucy Kennedy, 10 who was rescued from Camp Mystic, and her mother Wynne. Pic: NBC

Political row

Meanwhile, a political row has unfolded parallel to the recovery efforts, with some questioning whether local authorities sent out warnings and alerts early enough.

Similarly, Democrats have criticised Donald Trump over cuts his Elon Musk-launched Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has made to the National Weather Service – but it isn’t clear whether these actually made any difference.

Read more:
Sisters killed in Texas flooding found holding hands
Why did deadly Texas floods catch people by surprise?

Wall of water

The flash floods erupted before daybreak on Friday, after massive amounts of rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise by eight metres in less than an hour.

The wall of water overwhelmed cabins, tents and trails along the river’s edge.

Some survivors were found clinging to trees.

Some of the campers had to swim out of their cabin windows to get to safety, while others clung to rope to make it to higher ground.

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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs sentencing hearing confirmed

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Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentencing hearing confirmed

The date for Sean “Diddy” Combs’s sentencing hearing has been confirmed.

Following his high-profile trial, the hip-hop mogul was found guilty of two counts of transportation for prostitution by jurors in Manhattan, New York, last week – but was cleared of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy.

Defence lawyers argued Combs, who has been in prison in Brooklyn since his arrest in September last year, should be bailed ahead of sentencing given the not guilty verdicts for the more serious charges, but Judge Arun Subramanian denied this – citing, among other things, the rapper’s own admissions of previous violent behaviour.

Sean "Diddy" Combs reacts after verdicts are read of the five counts against him, during Combs' sex trafficking trial in New York City, New
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Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in court after the verdict was delivered. Pic: Reuters/ Jane Rosenberg

The charges of sex-trafficking and racketeering conspiracy carried a potential life sentence. Combs still faces up to 20 years in prison for the prostitution-related offences, but is not expected to receive the maximum punishment.

After the verdict was delivered, the judge scheduled the sentencing hearing for 3 October. At a remote follow-up conference on Tuesday, with agreement from the defence and prosecution, the judge approved the date.

Combs joined the call but did not make any comment.

Any sentence will include credit for time already served – which will be just over a year by the time the hearing takes place.

During his trial, Combs was accused by prosecutors of abusing and coercing three alleged victims, including his former long-term partner, singer and model Cassie Ventura.

Jurors found the allegations did not amount to sex-trafficking or racketeering, or running a criminal enterprise – but they did find him guilty of transporting Cassie and another former girlfriend “Jane” for prostitution offences around the US, and paying male escorts to engage in sexual encounters.

Despite the guilty verdict on those charges, the 55-year-old’s team described it as “the victory of all victories”.

Read more:
How the trial unfolded
The rise and fall of Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs

In an interview over the weekend, defence lawyer Marc Agnifilo said Combs had received a standing ovation from fellow inmates when he returned to jail after being acquitted of the more serious charges.

“They all said, ‘We never get to see anyone who beats the government’,” he said.

Ahead of sentencing, Combs’s lawyers will file their recommendations by 19 September, with prosecutors likely to follow a week later.

Prosecutors previously said the rapper could face about four to five years in prison under federal sentencing guidelines, while the defence has suggested a two-year sentence.

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Why has Trump U-turned over Ukraine?

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Why has Trump U-turned over Ukraine?

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Donald Trump has said, again, that he is “not happy” with Vladimir Putin.

In an extraordinary cabinet meeting, the US president criticised his Russian counterpart, and announced he had approved sending defensive weapons to Ukraine.

After weeks of rejecting Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s request for defence support – why the sudden change of tact? Is Trump’s relationship with Putin fraying?

And what’s the latest as Trump hosts Benjamin Netanyahu again, a day after the Israeli prime minister announced he had nominated the US leader for the Nobel Peace Prize.

What next in hopes for a ceasefire in Gaza? Tariffs are also back. Trump announces more… and more.

More on Donald Trump

If you’ve got a question you’d like the Trump100 team to answer, you can email it to trump100@sky.uk.

You can also watch all episodes on our YouTube channel.

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