STATE OF THE FIRES NOW

It’s Friday (1/10), Day 4 of the catastrophic fires that have ravaged the greater Los Angeles area. We grieve for our friends and associates who have lost their homes, their possessions, their keepsakes.

Here’s where things stand:

The two largest fires, Palisades (Pacific Palisades/Malibu) and Eaton (Altadena/Pasadena), continue to burn, but on Thursday (1/9) firefighters made incremental progress in containing the blazes, thanks to weakened winds and water-dropping aircraft. Fire officials report that the Palisades Fire is now 8% contained, and Eaton is 3% contained.

The Palisades Fire, which continues to spread north and east, has burned through more than 20,000 acres, while the Eaton Fire has consumed nearly 14,000 acres. To give non-Angelenos a sense of the scale, Manhattan is 14,600 acres.

The destruction and displacement caused by those fires, as well as the Hurst Fire near Sylmar, is monumental. All told, 9,000 homes and businesses have been destroyed, and at least 11 people have died, with the death toll expected to rise as desiccated homes are searched.

More than 150,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders.

On Thursday, a new fire near Woodland Hills, called the Kenneth Fire, consumed 1,000 acres of brush, but firefighters stopped its forward movement and it’s now 35% contained.

Unfortunately, the Santa Ana winds that spread the destructive embers throughout Los Angeles are predicted to surge again on Monday (1/13), and red flag warnings remain in effect.

If you’re in L.A., stay indoors: Wildfire smoke can be harmful, especially to the vulnerable and to small children.

To the relief of many affected families, California’s insurance commissioner issued a moratorium on Thursday that bars insurers from canceling or non-renewing home policies in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fire zones. The moratorium protects homeowners living within the perimeter of the fire and in adjoining ZIP codes from losing their policies for one year, starting from when Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Wednesday (1/8).

If you’re in need, here’s a link to resources that can help: Fire Resources for Those in Need

MusiCares and the Recording Academy are offering financial assistance to those impacted: MusiCares Steps Up

In far less important entertainment news, Sunday’s Critics’ Circle Awards, held in Santa Monica, has been rescheduled for 1/26. The deadline for Oscar-nomination voting has been extended two days to 1/14. Meanwhile, iHeartRadio canceled its ALTer Ego show—which was to feature Cage the Elephant, Incubus, The Lumineers and Glass Animals—at Kia Forum on Saturday (1/11).

Finally, please let us know if there’s anything we can do to help.