**Live Updates: 7 Wildfires Blaze Across California as Satellite Images Reveal Devastation**

Additional fatalities have been reported as flames continue to devastate homes and buildings in Pacific Palisades and surrounding counties.

Key Facts: California Wildfires

• Seven active fires are burning across Los Angeles and neighboring counties, with at least five fatalities reported.
• Tens of thousands displaced, anxiously awaiting updates on whether their homes have survived. Satellite imagery reveals the extensive destruction caused by the flames.
• Over 1,900 structures destroyed, including several celebrity homes, with the number expected to climb as new fires ignite.
• Evacuation orders have been issued for more than 130,000 residents, spanning from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena.

Trump Criticizes as Wildfires Rage

Donald Trump has launched a scathing attack on President Joe Biden and California Governor Gavin Newsom over the state’s wildfires.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, the president-elect blamed “the gross incompetence and mismanagement of the Biden/Newscum Duo” for the crisis. Trump also alleged that California’s environmental policies, which prioritize preserving wetlands and wildlife, have caused fire hydrants to run dry in Los Angeles. He wrote: “I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this,” and called for Newsom’s resignation.

---

The Seven Active Fires

• Palisades Fire
  The largest wildfire, spanning nearly 17,000 acres as of Wednesday night.

• Eaton Fire
  Originating in the hills above Pasadena, it is the deadliest blaze, with five fatalities and over 10,000 acres burned.

• Hurst Fire
  Ignited late Tuesday night at 10:10 PM and has expanded to approximately 855 acres, located north of San Fernando.

• Woodley Fire
  Started at 6:15 AM Wednesday, covering about 30 acres. The LA Fire Department reported it has been fully contained.

• Lidia Fire
  Broke out Wednesday afternoon in the mountainous Acton area, north of Los Angeles, and is now 40% contained.

• Sunset Fire
  Sparked in the Hollywood Hills around 6 PM Wednesday evening.

• Olivas Fire
  Burning in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, this fire has been fully contained.

Local authorities continue to battle these blazes, with thousands evacuated and firefighting efforts ongoing.

Nancy Chiamulon and Irma Alvarado share an emotional embrace as a wildfire nears their home in Pacific Palisades.
Photo by Mark Abramson/The New York Times

Police officer Christian Banuelos carries 101-year-old Laverna Sharpe to safety from her home.
Photo by Kyle Grillot/The New York Times

‘We Are Heartbroken’
The home of actor and comedian Billy Crystal was one of over 1,000 structures destroyed by the wildfires sweeping across Los Angeles, including a blaze that originated in the Hollywood Hills.

Billy Crystal confirmed the destruction of his home.
Photo by Stefanie Keenan/Getty Images

Crystal and his wife, Janice, shared in a statement that they had called their Pacific Palisades home home since 1979. “We are heartbroken, of course, but with the love of our children and friends, we will get through this,” they said.

Leighton Meester and Adam Brody were also reported to have lost their $6.5 million home in the fires. The couple, known for their roles in Gossip Girl and Nobody Wants This, had purchased the house in 2019, according to the Associated Press.

Jamie Lee Curtis and Maria Shriver were among those forced to evacuate. Shriver, who was California’s first lady during her marriage to former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, described the devastation, saying, “Everything is gone.”

Hollywood Hills Fire "Expanding Rapidly"

Firefighters battle to control the blazes as they spread amid strong winds.
Photo by Etienne Laurent/AP

The fire in Hollywood Hills is "rapidly expanding," according to David Acuna, a battalion chief with the California Fire Service, speaking on BBC’s Today program.

Acuna explained that firefighters across the greater Los Angeles area have faced setbacks due to strong winds overnight, with containment efforts making no progress. "The wind has been blowing consistently at 60-100 mph since yesterday morning," he said. "It actually intensified last night."

He also mentioned that additional evacuation orders would be issued, with 130,000 people already affected.