Firefighters battling LA wildfires report people actively looting and trying to break into homes and businesses

A series of LA wildfires have already caused a lot of devastation, with thousands of people fleeing their homes for shelter.

Amidst all the dangers arising from the LA wildfires, the firefighters have also reported looting at the evacuated sites. The firefighting personnel have reportedly sought assistance from police and other authorities to curb burglaries and break-ins across the impacted homes and businesses.

On Wednesday, January 8, Sheriff Robert Luna held a press conference to provide updates on the LA wildfires. The Los Angeles County Sheriff also mentioned that the authorities arrested two looters but didn’t disclose the identities or other information. Sheriff Luna gave a stern warning to looters and other potential criminals who are targeting the people during a public emergency,

“I’m sad to report, we have made two arrests this morning for looting, already. If you are thinking of coming into any of these areas to steal from our residents, you're going to get caught, you're going to be arrested, and you're going to be prosecuted. Don't do that! Stay out of these areas. It's only for emergency workers and people who live there."

For the uninitiated, the firefighters are battling against multiple wildfires, namely the Palisades fire, Eaton fire, Hurst fire, and Sunset fire, alongside other small-scale incidents.

The LA wildfires have substantially increased due to the ongoing Santa Ana winds

A series of wildfires broke out with the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades region of Southern California. The wildfire began on January 7, 2025, at 10:30 am and was grown rapidly due to extreme wind gusts (caused by Santa Ana winds). It was followed by the Eaton fire and the Hurst fire on January 7, while the Sunset fire broke out the following day.

The LA wildfires in the Pacific Palisades and San Martin region have burnt around 17,234 acres with 0% containment. The unfortunate incident has also turned into the worst wildfire in LA history. As of this writing, the Palisades fire has already damaged over 1,000 structures, with more being endangered due to the consistent growth assisted by the wind gusts, which are expected to halt the suppression efforts for longer.

The Eaton fire, which started on January 7, 2024, has also burnt more than 10,600 acres of area. There have been five casualties because of the Eaton fire. Compared to its 0% containment, the Hurst fire has been 10% contained and 855 acres of area has been blazed. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported due to the Palisades and the Hurst fire, despite many landmarks, homes, vehicles, and buildings receiving severe damage.

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The Sunset fire and other minor incidents of the LA wildfires have also posed a critical threat to the residents. There have been estimates of more than 137K people being evacuated across LA County. At the same time, more than 2,000 structures have reportedly been damaged by the LA wildfires in Southern California.

The homes of many Hollywood celebrities have also been destroyed. All the while, landmarks like Topanga State Park, Will Rogers State Historic Park, Palisades Theatre, and more have been damaged.

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