LOS ANGELES – The death toll from two of Los Angeles County’s biggest wildfires has risen to 16. Most are in the Arcadia (Eaton) fire.

• At least 13 people are missing, L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna said Saturday. It's unclear if the missing persons reports are related to the fires, he said.
• Evacuation orders for the largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, have expanded as it threatens Brentwood and Encino. It is 11% contained.
• More than 12,000 structures are damaged or destroyed.
• Crews are making progress on containing two smaller fires in the region.
• At least 153,000 L.A. residents were under evacuation orders
• Gov. Gavin Newsom called for an independent investigation into the loss of water pressure to local fire hydrants and the reported unavailability of water supplies from the Santa Ynez Reservoir.
• Los Angeles County has declared a public health emergency, warning that smoke and particulate matter could pose immediate and long-term threats.

As firefighters struggle to surround and stop the advancing fires, the number of unauthorized drone incidents over the Los Angeles County fire zones are now “well into the double digits” Akil Davis, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles Field Office, told NBC News Saturday. The most serious of those incidents was a civilian drone that ripped a hole in a Super Scooper plane that had to be grounded.

As the dreaded winds rise and fall, air assaults of the flames change. During hours when the winds diminish, fire crews douse the fires from water-dropping helicopters.

"As long as we can fly, we're going to look for every window of opportunity to take advantage of cooperating winds to be able to put in some work," David Ortiz, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department, told NBC Los Angeles.

Firefighters from Mexico will join more than 14,000 personnel deployed to fight the fires.

California has seen a 120% increase in fire starts since the beginning of the year compared to the five-year average, CalFire, said in a post on X.

Story Date: January 12, 2025