LA County Fires / Palisades Fire

[Sylvia]

Most of the media I've seen on Dick Van Dyke and the fires, including this clip, concern the December fire. I've seen a couple short mentions that he'd been evacuated again this past week, but haven't seen anything about the status of his home. Hoping for good news.

Thank you for confirming this was LAST month’s news that some media outlets have been sharing again (this link appeared in my Instagram stories yesterday) - didn’t notice the date at the bottom.

ETA - haven’t seen anything besides this tabloid-y Express U.S. mention on Jan. 9:

Dick Van Dyke was forced to evacuate his Los Angeles home due to the ongoing wildfires.
The 99-year-old actor had only recently returned to his Malibu residence after being evacuated due to wildfires last month.
Now, he is reportedly dealing with the wildfires that have been devastating the Los Angeles area in recent days.

 

[skatfan]

The rebuilding picture is grim:

Rebuilding Rate for Santa Cruz Mountains Lightning Complex Fire Bodes Ill for Los Angeles Reconstruction, Even Before Getting to Insolvency of California State FAIR Plan Wildfire Insurance | naked capitalism

The pace of rebuilding after the Santa Cruz Mountains wildfire in 2000 bodes ill for the likely speed of Los Angeles reconstruction.

www.nakedcapitalism.com

 

[TOADS]

The NWS has issued a PDS, a particularly dangerous situation for late tonight through Wednesday. This is the highest warning level they issue and it is a repeat of the same warning they issued last Tuesday.

Grim…..

ETA: The models have been very good and accurate over the course of this event. Looking at the latest model runs there is an indication that another Santa Ana event could happen around the 20th. Obviously not cast in concrete but the bottom line is the overall weather pattern is still in place to see more of these possible events through most of the month.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Among the lost properties is Arnold Schoenberg's publisher's building. Schoenberg's son's nephew posted his uncle's statement to Facebook. (They're going to try to go digital as best they can.) This is part of it:

The fire that ravaged the Pacific Palisades community in early January left a trail of devastation, and unfortunately, Belmont Music Publishers was among its most significant casualties. The entire inventory of sales and rental materials—comprising some manuscripts, original scores, and printed works—has been lost in the flames. For a company that focused exclusively on the works of Schoenberg, this loss represents not just a physical destruction of property but a profound cultural blow.

Belmont Music’s catalog encompassed Schoenberg's complete range of compositions, from his early Romantic works to his groundbreaking twelve-tone pieces. These works, including compositions like Verklärte Nacht and Pierrot Lunaire, are foundational to the 20th-century classical repertoire. Belmont’s role in preserving and distributing these masterpieces was invaluable for musicians and scholars alike, who turned to the publisher for access to authentic, carefully edited editions of Schoenberg's challenging but transformative music.

...

For musicians, access to Belmont's meticulously curated editions of Schoenberg’s works was an essential resource. The loss of these materials has been devastating not only to those who rely on the publisher for access to Schoenberg's compositions but also to the broader musical community that respects and values the depth of Schoenberg’s contribution to music.

 

[Judy]

Wow https://www.cnn.com/shorts/cnn-shorts-california-wildfires?iid=vertical-video_entry

I’be never heard of a tornado fire before. These winds have to be just horrific .

 

[Karen-W]

Wow https://www.cnn.com/shorts/cnn-shorts-california-wildfires?iid=vertical-video_entry

I’be never heard of a tornado fire before. These winds have to be just horrific .

Wildfires create their own weather. The fire tornado video I saw from this fire on Saturday was unimpressive compared to other fire tornado videos I've seen with other wildfires in forests with taller firs & pines.

 

[Sylvia]

Official account for the National Weather Service Los Angeles today:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878890238376026428

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878882840492044401

 

[Karen-W]

Paris Hilton, who lost her home, spent some time volunteering at the Pasadena Humane Society & posted this video about an hour ago. I hope this beautiful kitty's owners see it.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878899460689805771

 

[sk8pics]

I donated today to WCK and the Pasadena Humane Society.

 

[Sylvia]

One hour ago:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878923815230611507

20 WCK food truck partners deployed across the Los Angeles area to provide thousands of meals daily to first responders and residents affected by the fires. The team from 1986 Tacos set up at a school in Woodland Hills serving as a resource hub for families in need of support, offering their signature Tijuana-style tacos. #ChefsForCalifornia

ETA:

World Central Kitchen | Wildfires rage across Southern California

World Central Kitchen’s Relief Team is in Southern California to support first responders and families impacted by wildfires in the Los Angeles area. Our teams have mobilized across the region to provide immediate relief. We are working with restaurant and food truck partners to provide...

wck.org

 

[TOADS]

They arrested almost 3 dozen looters and one arsonist who started a small fire.

There sure are some evil people out there…..

 

[Sylvia]

Uploaded on ALERTCalifornia's YT channel on Jan. 10:

ALERTCalifornia is a public safety organization based at University of California San Diego that provides state-of-the-art technology that supports data-driven decisions to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters. ALERTCalifornia is working to understand wildfires and other natural hazards and determine short and long-term impacts on people and the environment to inform management decisions.
The state-focused program manages a growing network of more than 1,100 monitoring cameras and sensor arrays, and collects data that provides actionable, real-time information to inform public safety. In addition to the camera network, and in response to increasingly frequent and severe climate-driven disasters, ALERTCalifornia is prioritizing novel data collection and research. These data are shared with fellow institutions and partners.

https://alertcalifornia.org/

Palisades Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTLf6rqv790

"Multiple time-lapse videos captured on ALERTCalifornia's cameras of the Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County, CA. These clips show the fire behavior for approximately 40 hours starting at 10:44 a.m. on January 7, 2025. The time-lapses have been sped up."

Eaton Fire: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cxn0kraryMk

"Multiple time-lapse videos captured on ALERTCalifornia's cameras of the Eaton Fire in Los Angeles County, CA. These clips show the fire behavior for approximately 24 hours starting at 4:06 a.m. on January 8, 2025. The time-lapses have been sped up. "

 

[Sylvia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878534353770181099

'It was a nightmare'
Jeffrey and Cheryl Ku also of Altadena told ABC News they believe they were among the first people to see the Eaton Fire ignite at the base of an electrical transmission tower in the hills near their home at 6:19 p.m. on Tuesday.

"My husband had come home from work, and he ran in the house and just started screaming, 'There's a fire on the hill. We need to get out,'" Cheryl Ku said. "I ran out back, saw the fire at the poles and I immediately called 911."

A Ring doorbell camera on their home captured the scary moments after the couple spotted the fire charging into their neighborhood. The Ring video recorded Jeffrey frantically hosing down the exterior of his home while constantly trying to keep an eye on flames advancing toward him.

"It was a nightmare," Jeffrey Ku said. "And I think the worst part was every time I checked on the fire, it got worse."

The couple said their home was left standing.

Neighbors of the couple told ABC News they also saw the Eaton Fire apparently ignite near the transmission tower and rapidly explode.

Source: https://abcnews.go.com/US/nightmare-families-vow-rebuild-after-losing-la-fires/story?id=117616508

 

[Sylvia]

Jeffrey & Cheryll Ku were just interviewed by Erin Burnett:

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878967143540396387

 

[Sylvia]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1877393320164360537

Update on Max the dog (Jan. 13):

Firefighter helps rescue dog while battling Eaton Fire: 'I need to find that dog'

While entire neighborhoods were ablaze in Altadena, California, on Wednesday, a scared dog named Max barked at the out-of-control flames engulfing his home.

abcnews.go.com

Excerpts:

While entire neighborhoods were ablaze in Altadena, California, on Wednesday, a scared dog named Max barked at the out-of-control flames engulfing his home.
A firefighter saw him curled up in his front yard, alone and scared. As the fireman sprayed the flames, the dog got closer and closer.
The fireman put his hand out. And the dog came.
"Visibility was pretty poor initially, so we found a place that we could stake out, especially with the winds and the conditions that we were in," firefighter Slater Lee told ABC News' Matt Rivers.
"I heard a dog barking, and I was like, 'I need to find that dog,'" he said.

"The whole garage was involved in pretty heavy flames, and I looked to my side, and the dog was seated with its tail between its legs, just curled in the corner of the front yard, still barking, just in a really sad position," Lee added.
Lee put his hand down every so often to coax the 60-pound dog into feeling comfortable with him.
"I had the nozzle in one hand cooling the garage, so [the fire] wouldn't extend over to the house, and then trying to pet the dog and make some light of the situation," he said.

Lee has only been a firefighter for about six months, still on probationary status with the San Marcos Fire Department. His chief told ABC News that some new recruits come and go but "Slater is one of the good ones. He's going to be sticking around."
Lee kept the dog calm until another couple of concerned citizens were able to take him. They got him to safety, out of the fire zone, while Lee stayed behind, continuing his work.
Max made it back to his family, alive and well, if a bit traumatized.

 

[Vash01]

Watching Rams play Vikings in Glendale, AZ. Ticket sales will be donated to fight the fires.

ETA- Sent a donation while watching the game.

 

[Karen-W]

They arrested almost 3 dozen looters and one arsonist who started a small fire.

There sure are some evil people out there…..

Not sure if it's the same arsonist, but here's the new LA County DA announcing the charges against one of the detainees -

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878932037840843086

 

[Karen-W]

Great essay to reassure the doubters that LA will absolutely not flinch & will be able to successfully host the Summer Olympics in 2028.

The fires are a historic disaster. But ... LA will host the 2028 Summer Games | 3 Wire Sports

What’s happening in Los Angeles, the city I have lived in since late 1992, the city I love, is nothing less than a monumental disaster. The fires will prove a defining event in the 21st century history of Los Angeles and California. But to suggest, as some would do, that the Summer Games of 2028 ar

www.3wiresports.com

 

[Sylvia]

Tuesday morning 1/14 update: https://abc7.com/live-updates/socal...torm-abc7mid-dangerous-fire-weather/15771235/

Palisades Fire

• 23,713 acres
• 17% containment
• 8 deaths
• 5,316 structures burned

Eaton Fire in San Gabriel Valley

• 14,117 acres
• 35% contained
• Approximately 7,081 structures believed to be damaged or destroyed (structures includes vehicles)
• 16 deaths
• 5 firefighter injuries

The new Auto Fire in Ventura County:

Firefighters have stopped forward progress of a new brush fire that broke out overnight in Ventura County. The Auto Fire burned 56 acres in the Santa Clara River bottom amid red flag conditions across Southern California.
Officials reported that the blaze was fully contained, but later said it stands at 0% containment.

"The fire danger posed by the return of strong Santa Ana winds is expected to remain through Wednesday afternoon."

 

[BittyBug]

If you are interested in helping wildlife impacted by the fires, the Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center is treating injured animals and urgently needs financial support.

Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center receiving animals from wildfire areas

Wildlife impacted by the fires in nearby Los Angeles County are coming to local care centers as response teams in the fire-torn communities are overwhelmed.

www.ocregister.com

Link to donate:

Wetlands and Wildlife Care Center

The Wetlands & Wildlife Care Center is dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of injured and orphaned native wildlife

www.wwccoc.org

 

[attyfan]

Ventura's Auto Fire reportedly contained (as I live in Ventura, I hope this is true)

Swept by fierce winds, Auto Fire in Ventura contained at 56 acres

Fire crews responded to a brush fire Monday night near Auto Center Drive in Ventura.

www.vcstar.com

 

[overedge]

One of my former students worked with World Central Kitchen at refugee camps in Greece and Haiti. She didn't go there specifically to work with WCK, but WCK set up kitchens in the areas where she was volunteering. She has nothing but good things to say about Chef Jose and his crew - they were friendly, they worked hard, they didn't pull rank. They did what they came to do and did it graciously and humbly. Chef Jose was actually there in Haiti, and he was in the kitchen peeling potatoes and doing grunt work along with everyone else.

She saw a lot of other organizations that were mostly there to promote themselves and/or that wasted the money that had been donated to them.

I would not hesitate for a second to donate money to WCK for its work in Los Angeles.

 

[PRlady]

One of my former students worked with World Central Kitchen at refugee camps in Greece and Haiti. She didn't go there specifically to work with WCK, but WCK set up kitchens in the areas where she was volunteering. She has nothing but good things to say about Chef Jose and his crew - they were friendly, they worked hard, they didn't pull rank. They did what they came to do and did it graciously and humbly. Chef Jose was actually there in Haiti, and he was in the kitchen peeling potatoes and doing grunt work along with everyone else.

She saw a lot of other organizations that were mostly there to promote themselves and/or that wasted the money that had been donated to them.

I would not hesitate for a second to donate money to WCK for its work in Los Angeles.

They have been heroic in Gaza for more than a year despite losing some staffers to Israeli fire. I took the $ I used to give to U.S. organizations working on Israel, including former employer, at year’s end and sent it all to WCK.

 

[Vagabond]

Pacific Palisades had a fireworks problem. Now one may have caused a disaster

https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/pacific-palisades-fireworks-problem-caused-20031709.php

On Monday, specialized Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agents reached the hillside where the Palisades Fire sparked to begin an investigation into the cause that could take months.

In case anyone isn't aware, the ATF is a Federal law-enforcement agency.

 

[Cachoo]

Not sure if it's the same arsonist, but here's the new LA County DA announcing the charges against one of the detainees -

https://twitter.com/x/status/1878932037840843086

NINE years? How about life in prison? What if the fire you set killed people or if it pulled crews away from another area where lives were lost. I think they should change the law and make it retroactive to these fires.

 

[AnnM]

One of my former students worked with World Central Kitchen at refugee camps in Greece and Haiti. She didn't go there specifically to work with WCK, but WCK set up kitchens in the areas where she was volunteering. She has nothing but good things to say about Chef Jose and his crew - they were friendly, they worked hard, they didn't pull rank. They did what they came to do and did it graciously and humbly. Chef Jose was actually there in Haiti, and he was in the kitchen peeling potatoes and doing grunt work along with everyone else.

She saw a lot of other organizations that were mostly there to promote themselves and/or that wasted the money that had been donated to them.

I would not hesitate for a second to donate money to WCK for its work in Los Angeles.

I've been donating regularly to them for a few years now, since reading Andres' book "We Fed An Island." I'm glad to read about your former student's experience.

 

[Barbara Manatee]

NINE years? How about life in prison? What if the fire you set killed people or if it pulled crews away from another area where lives were lost.

They can always add felony murder or other charges later.

 

[AnnM]

NINE years? How about life in prison? What if the fire you set killed people or if it pulled crews away from another area where lives were lost. I think they should change the law and make it retroactive to these fires.

If they can connect a death to it, then murder charges can be added. DAs are supposed to file only what they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt at the time of filing. Once he was arrested, charges had to be filed within 48 hours in order to keep him in custody and arson was most likely the most obvious offense. But the complaint can be amended as the investigation continues.

 

[Karen-W]

They can always add felony murder or other charges later.

If they can connect a death to it, then murder charges can be added. DAs are supposed to file only what they can prove beyond a reasonable doubt at the time of filing. Once he was arrested, charges had to be filed within 48 hours in order to keep him in custody and arson was most likely the most obvious offense. But the complaint can be amended as the investigation continues.

Yeah, I don't think the alleged arsonist they've arrested & charged is connected with either the Palisades or Eaton fires, which are the only ones that have had any deaths as a result.

 

[sk8pics]

They have been heroic in Gaza for more than a year despite losing some staffers to Israeli fire. I took the $ I used to give to U.S. organizations working on Israel, including former employer, at year’s end and sent it all to WCK.

One of the neat things about WCK is that they use locals to do some of the work, so they provide foods/meals that the locals would tend to like. Twice now I’ve organized some folks to send cards and notes to Ukrainian staffers with WCK. We’ve gotten back such heartfelt thanks.

All of that is to say, yes, support WCK in the LA area.