California fires live updates: Firefighters still battle Los Angeles, Ventura blazes as ‘particularly dangerous’ winds warning in effect

As the narrative of the Southern California wildfires has shifted to identifying the causes behind what could prove to be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history, a common refrain has emerged on social media that seeks to dismiss the role scientists say climate change played.

“California has forest fires every year,” a commenter wrote in response to a Yahoo News story on distinguishing the singular cause of a fire from its underlying aspects.

“To say California has always had wildfires, that they’ve always had extreme events, is a classic form of climate denial,” Peter Gleick, a climate scientist and the co-founder of the Pacific Institute, told Yahoo News. “For years, those of us in the climate community have heard, ‘The climate has always changed. We’ve always had floods, droughts and heat waves.’ And that’s just totally disingenuous. Of course, we’ve had those things. The question is whether climate change is making those things worse, and the answer is yes.”

Read more from Yahoo News.

Some Los Angeles County residents eager to return to their see if their homes are still intact have been unable to do so, even though fires may not currently be active in their neighborhoods.

L.A. County officials have cited fire flare-ups, downed power lines and ongoing searches for the missing as reasons why residents cannot yet return.

The county has, however, launched interactive maps for the Palisades and Eaton fires so that residents can get an update on the status of their property. In the top left of the map, a person can enter an address or place to search for their home or business.

The map shows structures in color-coded icons:

Red = destroyed, the structure has more than 50% damage

Orange = major damage, the structure has 26%-50% damage

Yellow = the structure received minor damage (10%-25%)

Green = minimal damage, about 1%-9% of the structure

Black = no damage to the structure

If a structure does not have a color code, it has not been inspected yet. The site also includes photos of specific properties.

Wildfire names are important. They help firefighters follow deployment commands without confusion and allow citizens to easily understand which blaze poses a threat to their area.

For all of their importance, though, not a lot of thought goes into those names. Typically, a fire is named by the first emergency responder to identify it, usually based on a geographic marker like a road.

"If a fire is called in to the 911 center off of Main Street, this fire would be called the Main Fire," California State Fire Marshal Daniel Berlant explained in a video on the Cal Fire YouTube page. "If a caller calls in and says, 'I'm at Monterey Park and there's a fire at the park,' dispatchers would likely name this fire either the Monterey Fire or the Park Fire."

This is why some of the most noteworthy fires end up with the simplest names, like the Camp Fire or the Tunnel Fire. There are even times when firefighters struggle to come up with a name, such as a 2015 fire in Idaho that was dubbed the Not Creative Fire.

The same procedures were used to name the two major fires currently burning in Los Angeles. The Palisades Fire first ignited in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The Eaton Fire started in Eaton Canyon in Altadena.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is debunking online rumors amid its response to the deadly wildfires in Southern California on a website: fema.gov/rumors

Among the misinformation it addresses on the site is the rumor that survivors can’t apply if they have insurance. FEMA says in part, "This is not true. If you have insurance, you can apply for FEMA assistance but you must file an insurance claim as well."

FEMA also had to address false rumors in the fall of 2024 during their response to hurricanes Helene and Milton.

A "particularly dangerous situation" (PDS) red flag warning is in effect starting Wednesday at 3 a.m. thru 3 p.m. PT for portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, according to the most recent update from the National Weather Service.

"Considering the extremely dry state of the fuels, recent fire behavior, and the strength of the winds, this is a particularly dangerous situation," the update said. "There is a high risk for large fires, rapid fire spread, and long range spotting."

The following areas have a PDS red flag warning starting early Wednesday:

• Western San Gabriel Mountains

• I-5 corridor

• Southern Ventura County Mountains

• Santa Susana Mountains

• Ventura Valleys (mostly near Simi Valley/Moorpark/Santa Paula/South Mountain)

• Western Santa Monicas

• Western San Fernando Valley (mainly ighways 118/210 corridors from Porter Ranch to San Fernando)

• Calabasas

• Agoura Hills

• Ventura County Coastal Plain

Red flag warnings remain in effect for much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and parts of San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties through 6 p.m. PT Wednesday.

A red flag warning remains in effect thru 3 p.m. PT Thursday for: the Santa Susana Mountains, western San Gabriel Mountains and the I-5 corridor.

Otherwise, forecasters have said the winds started off "a little lighter than expected," on Tuesday, mostly under 30 mph from Acton to Oxnard, extending 20 miles on each side.

As fires have continued to start and spread across the L.A. area over the last week, several utility companies have issued notices warning customers about their drinking water.

Toxic chemicals from the wildfires can get into drinking water systems to the point where even filtering or boiling the water won't help protect people, the Associated Press reported. These chemicals can be harmful, even at very low concentrations in the water.

Last week Pasadena Water and Power issued a "Do-Not-Drink-Water" notice to a third of its customers — the first time it had to do that since it was founded in 1906. This week, after testing, it lifted that warning for most of the area.

While utility groups will continue to focus on making sure there's enough water to fight and control the fires, several are also spending the time to test and retest drinking water for contaminants, because it can sometimes take weeks or months of testing before water can be declared safe — especially if it is coming from areas with damage.

Experts told the Associated Press that toxic chemicals found in drinking water after a fire can cause illnesses that range from temporary nausea to cancer.

The ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles have destroyed thousands of structures, including homes and businesses.

Those who have lost homes are undoubtedly left with myriad questions about what comes next.

The Los Angeles Times has tried to answer some of the most common, including:

Read more from the L.A. Times: I was forced to evacuate my home. Do I still need to pay my mortgage, rent, utility bills?

The Palisades and Eaton fires, which started on Jan. 7 in Los Angeles County, have claimed at least 24 lives over the last week. The combined blazes are now the fourth-deadliest in California's wildfire history.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Tuesday that she had signed an executive order a day earlier intended to help expedite the process for rebuilding after the wildfires.

According to the mayor's office, the order will streamline the debris removal and permitting processes as well as make 1,400 units of housing immediately available for displaced residents.

"We don't want people burdened by red tape and bureaucracy," Bass said.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on Tuesday that plans to help displaced students and schools that have been affected by the wildfires as quickly as possible.

"We are using the full force of the state government to respond to the Los Angeles firestorms and ensure recovery for the thousands of residents who have been impacted by this unimaginable loss, including school-aged children," Newsom said in a statement. "The executive order I signed today will help bring back some sense of normalcy for our youth by eliminating barriers to getting them back learning in school."

The executive order aims to:

• Suspend several state rules so displaced students are allowed to attend schools outside of their district.

• Make it as easy as possible for schools that were damaged or destroyed to use temporary facilities to keep students engaged and learning.

• Help schools avoid penalties for not meeting minimum school-year requirements.

• Direct state agencies to work with schools to develop a plan for placing displaced students in new classrooms and rebuild any rooms or buildings that were destroyed or damaged by the fires.

The bright red fire retardant dropped by planes battling the wildfires from the air is known as Phos-Chek. Long-term fire retardants are mainly salts, typically agricultural fertilizers, according to USA Today. They are meant to "alter the way the fire burns, decreases the fire intensity, and slows the advance of the fire," the U.S. Forest Service says.

According to USA Today:

Read more from USA Today: What is the red fire retardant dropped by planes to fight L.A. wildfires?

The Palisades and Eaton fires alone, which started on Jan. 7, have now burned about 60 square miles — an area almost as big as Washington, D.C., which is 68.3 square miles. They have brought entire communities and neighborhoods to ash, leaving tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents scrambling to find temporary shelter.

The official cause of the fires has not been determined and is under investigation.

Below are some satellite images, showing before and after the wildfires hit the Los Angeles region.

To view the full Yahoo News story, click here.

Pacific Palisades

La Costa Beach, Malibu

Photos by Maxar Technologies via Getty Images

As part of the federal response to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is sending one-time payments of $770 to victims, President Biden said Monday.

“We’re not waiting until those fires are over to start helping the victims," Biden said at a White House briefing on the wildfires. "We’re getting them help right now, as you all know. People impacted by these fires are going to receive a one-time payment of $770, one-time payment, so they can quickly purchase things like water, baby formula and prescriptions."

At a press conference Tuesday, FEMA Regional Administrator Robert Fenton Jr. said the agency has already over 40,000 applications for the one-time payment, and that it has distributed more than $8 million so far.

The one-time payment program is "designed to help disaster survivors with basic, critical needs such as a safe, sanitary, and functional place to live during recovery from a disaster," FEMA explains on its website. "It is not designed to make survivors whole and is not a substitute for insurance coverage."

Victims are encouraged to register through an online at disasterassistance.gov.

Some utility companies in Southern California are temporarily shutting off power to customers as a precaution due to elevated fire weather conditions, part of what's known as the Public Safety Power Shutoff program.

Over 20,000 households are currently facing such intentional power outages, Los Angeles County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said at a press briefing Tuesday.

Horvath encouraged people to keep their mobile phones charged in the event they lose power.

"Please, take this moment now to charge your phones, your batteries and devices to make sure you have backup," she said. "We'll work to restore access, but know you may be without power. Please plan ahead."

Water departments across Los Angeles County have issued water advisories for residents near the Palisades and Eaton Fires.

A "Do not drink" notice means water is not safe to consume and you should use bottled water for drinking, baby formula, food prep and water for pets. It's OK to use cold tap for washing clothes, lukewarm water for bathing with soap (don't swallow water or let it contact open wounds), and if you're using a dishwasher, use the air-dry setting.

A "Do not use" notice means you shouldn't use tap water for any home activities and you should only use bottled water.

Before checking for an advisory, make sure you know which water department or district you're in. The agency will be listed at the top of your water bill, or ask your landlord if you're a renter.

Below are the current advisories, which don't always apply to the entire district. Read the notice to see the areas affected:

Palisades Fire

• L.A. Department of Water and Power (ZIP code 90272 and adjacent areas): Do not drink

LADWP will be distributing bottled water to affected customers at two distribution locations in Los Angeles: Westwood Recreation Center at 1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd, and next to the Brentwood Country Club at 741 S. Gretna Green Way.

• L.A. County Waterworks Districts:

  • LACWD No. 29, Malibu: Do not drink

  • According to LACWD No. 21, Kagel Canyon, the boil water notice has been canceled and "your water is safe to drink."

Eaton Fire

• Kinneloa Irrigation District: Do not drink

• Las Flores Water Company: Do not drink

• Lincoln Avenue Water Company: Do not use

• Pasadena Water and Power: Do not drink (see the map of affected areas here)

• Rubio Cañon Land and Water Association: Do not drink

The International Olympic Committee said it'd replace the 10 Olympic medals U.S. swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost in the Palisades Fire.

Hall swam in the 1996, 2000 and 2004 Olympics — notably winning six of his 10 medals after being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1999.

Last week, he quickly evacuated his home and had to leave the medals behind.

"I didn't have much time. I opened up the back of my SUV and started loading it," Hall told the Associated Press. "I grabbed my dog and my insulin. I have type 1 diabetes and need that to live. And jumped in the car and abandoned my home, my Olympic medals and everything of sentimental value that I possess."

On Sunday, the IOC announced it would provide Hall with "replicas" of his lost medals.

"We are in full solidarity with the citizens of Los Angeles and full of admiration for the tireless work of the firefighters and the security forces," IOC President Thomas Bach wrote. "We have also learned that a great Olympian, Gary Hall Jr., has lost his medals in the fire. The IOC will provide him with replicas."

Read more from Yahoo Sports: IOC to replace 10 Olympic medals that U.S. swimmer Gary Hall Jr. lost in the Los Angeles Palisades Fire

With the fire threat throughout the Los Angeles region considered critical, and thousands of firefighters battling multiple ongoing wildfires, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone urged people, including those facing homelessness, not to start "warming fires."

"Anybody who is a person who is experiencing homelessness should be seeking shelter through the county of Los Angeles or the city of Los Angeles," Marrone said at a press conference Tuesday.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said that 39 people were arrested in the areas of the Palisades and Eaton Fires.

For the Palisades Fire, six people were arrested: three for curfew violations and three for burglary.

For the Eaton Fire, 33 people were arrested, including 11 for burglary, nine for curfew violations, and two for unauthorized drone activity.

"Please do not fly drones in these impacted areas," Luna said.

LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said that police made an additional 14 arrests, including one for impersonating a firefighter.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Tuesday that the number of people under mandatory evacuation orders has decreased to about 88,000, down about 1,000 from the day before. It had been above 130,000 as recently as Friday. Another 84,000 people remain under evacuation warnings, Luna said.

Luna said those who are under evacuation warnings should consider leaving before a mandatory evacuation order is issued.

"That's the time you should think about going," he said. "Don't wait till the order is given."

Luna said that the "repopulation" of evacuated areas is a priority but that it is still too dangerous to allow for a safe return.

"Everything is not OK yet," he said. "We'll get there. We'll get there together."

The Federal Emergency Management Agency and state emergency officials are opening two disaster recovery centers in Los Angeles County this afternoon to help wildfire victims.

The centers — at UCLA Research Park West in Los Angeles and Pasadena City College Community Education Center in Pasadena — will open at 1 p.m. local time on Tuesday.

The disaster recovery centers are meant to be a "one-stop shop to provide survivors resources," the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services said in a press release, with representatives from numerous federal and state agencies together in one place.

"At a disaster recovery center, residents and business owners can apply for federal assistance and access other available resources from local, state and non-profit agencies," the release said. "These can include learning about disaster assistance programs, find housing and rental assistance information, meet with state agency representatives, and get help from non-profits."

The Angeles National Forest, including the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument, will be closed to the public this week due to "critical fire danger," the national forest said in a post on X.

The closure will be in effect through Sunday, Jan. 19.

The decision to close the popular 700,000-acre national forest comes as firefighters continue to battle the nearby Eaton Fire, which has scorched more than 14,000 acres and is 35% contained.

Winds are picking up in Southern California. According to the National Weather Service, here are the strongest wind gusts recorded since Monday evening:

• Magic Mountain: 72 mph

• Mill Creek: 62 mph

• Sandstone Peak: 60 mph

• N3 Highway: 58 mph

The National Weather Service has issued a rare "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, warning that the high winds and low humidity will create "extremely critical fire weather conditions."

In addition, the strong winds could down trees and power lines, the weather service said.

The National Weather Service has issued a rare "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The "particularly dangerous situation" or PDS designation means that strong winds mixed with low humidity will create "extremely critical fire weather conditions."

Wind gusts of up to 70 mph are possible, the weather service said, with relative humidity between 8% and 15%.

"PDS Red Flag Warnings are for the extreme of the extreme fire weather scenarios," NWS in Los Angeles warned. "In other words, this setup is about as bad as it gets. Stay aware of your surroundings. Be prepared to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire."

A new fire that broke out in Ventura County on Monday night has scorched 56 acres and is 0% contained, but the Ventura County Fire Department said that its "forward progress" has been stopped.

"The fire was confined to the river bottom and no structures were threatened," the fire department said in a post on X, adding that the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Firefighters continue to battle the Los Angeles wildfires that have scorched tens of thousands of acres, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses, and left at least 24 people dead.

• There are four active wildfires in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to Cal Fire:
  Palisades Fire (Los Angeles County): 23,713 acres, 14% contained
  Eaton Fire (Los Angeles County): 14,117 acres, 33% contained
  Hurst Fire (Los Angeles County): 799 acres, 97% contained
  Auto Fire (Ventura County): 56 acres, 0% contained

• The causes of the fires are under investigation.

• About 92,000 Los Angeles County residents remain under mandatory evacuation orders, with another 89,000 under evacuation warnings.

• Police have made dozens of arrests in evacuation zones for various offenses; nine people have been criminally charged for looting around the Palisades and Eaton Fires.

• Strong winds are forecast to return to the area, potentially hampering efforts to fight the fires.

• The National Weather Service issued a rare warning of a “particularly dangerous situation” forecast to come this week, predicting severe fire conditions on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Firefighters continued on Monday to try to bring under control two large wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area ahead of another round of strong Santa Ana winds.

The larger of the two, the Palisades Fire, which has so far burned 23,713 acres, is just 14% contained. The Eaton Fire, which has charred 14,117 acres in Altadena and Pasadena, is 33% contained.

According to forecasters, the Santa Ana wind gusts could hit 70 mph in areas where firefighters are still battling flames nearly a week after the Palisades Fire broke out in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Those winds are likely to persist through Wednesday.

Here's a recap of the day's other developments:

• Joe Tyler, director and fire chief of Cal Fire, said people should remain "ready to evacuate," thanks to the next round of wind

• The National Weather Service expanded the areas that are expected to get the most dangerous winds

• Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass provided residents with a telephone number they could use to report price gouging

• Hundreds of landlords are accused of hiking rents during the disaster in violation of statutes designed to prevent that

• The professional sports teams in L.A. pledged more than $8 million in donations to help victims of the fires

• Officials with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are investigating the causes of the wildfires

• Climate scientists say rising global temperatures have made wildfires much worse in recent years

• President Biden: "Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost in the wildfires across Los Angeles"

• A lawsuit was filed blaming Southern California Edison for causing the Eaton Fire

• The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday that it was rescheduling the announcement of nominations for this year's Oscars due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles

• The Grammy Awards will go on as scheduled

• Multiple arrests have been made in areas impacted by the wildfires

• The death toll from the fires has risen to at least 24 people

• President-elect Donald Trump is planning to visit California as early as next week, according to his staff

At a Monday evening briefing, fire officials said that crews had made some progress in recent days battling wildfires that continue to threaten the Los Angeles area, but they warned that another round of Santa Ana winds expected to worsen in the coming hours remained a threat.

"We have a significant storm coming tonight," Joseph Everett, assistant chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, told reporters.

Joe Tyler, director and fire chief of Cal Fire, echoes that message. “We need you to be remain vigilant, ready to evacuate,” he said.

Wind gusts up to 70 mph are expected in areas where firefighters continue to try to contain the Palisades and Eaton fires, the two biggest blazes that remain active. Those winds could persist through Wednesday, forecasters say.

"Do not let your guard down," Los Angeles Fire Department chief Kristin Crowley added at Monday's news conference.

Los Angeles District Attorney Nathan Hochman announced that his office has filed criminal charges against 10 people for crimes that occurred during the outbreak of the wildfires in the county.

Nine of the charges are for looting in the Palisades and Eaton Fires. “These are the people who are seeking to exploit this tragedy for their own benefit,” Hochman said at a news conference Monday afternoon.

One charge is for arson that occurred in Azusa and is not connected with the origination of any of the major wildfires, Hochman said.

President-elect Donald Trump is expected to visit Los Angeles as soon as next week to see the wildfire damage and assess recovery needs, multiple news outlets reported Monday.

It's unclear whether his visit to the fire-ravaged region would come before or after his Jan. 20 presidential inauguration.

Trump has publicly criticized how local and state officials have handled the wildfire response, prompting an invite from California's Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom for Trump to tour the devastation himself.

"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," Newsom said in a letter to Trump last week. "Hundreds of thousands of Americans — displaced from their homes and fearful for the future — deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild."

In a post on X, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass advised residents affected by the wildfires to call 311 to report businesses that are engaging in price gouging, i.e., when a business takes advantage of a state of emergency by illegally raising prices on things like emergency supplies, lodging, transportation, bottled water and generators.

All 12 professional sports franchises in Los Angeles are banding together to support wildfire relief efforts, pledging more than $8 million in donations and organizing events at three stadiums to help victims.

On Friday, Jan. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. local time, community partners from the teams at Dodger Stadium, SoFi Stadium and BMO Stadium will distribute "personal hygiene kits, school supplies, sneakers and more" to people who have been evacuated from the wildfires.

"Angelenos with proof of residency in evacuated Zip Codes will be eligible to attend," the teams said in a joint press release. "Additionally, bus transportation is being offered to help individuals residing in area evacuation shelters with travel to stadium distribution sites. Lunch will be provided to individuals and families at the stadium events."

Additionally, the 12 pro sports organizations — Angel City FC, the Angels, Chargers, Clippers, Dodgers, Ducks, Galaxy, Kings, LAFC, Lakers, Rams and Sparks — have "pledged a combined donation of more than $8 million to support victims in need, as well as those fighting the fires," according to the release. Beneficiaries include the American Red Cross, the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation, the California Fire Foundation, the Eaton Canyon Fire Relief and Recovery Fund, the World Central Kitchen, the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund, Team Rubicon and various local animal rescue organizations.

When California Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency last Tuesday in response to the Los Angeles wildfires, it triggered a key protection for tens of thousands of evacuated Angelenos who suddenly need a new place to live — either because their homes have burned down or because their neighborhoods could be off-limits for months to come.

“Following a declaration of emergency,” the California attorney general’s office explained online, “the statute generally prohibits landlords from increasing the price of rental housing by more than 10% of the previously charged or advertised price.”

“It’s called price gouging,” Attorney General Rob Bonta added during a press conference. “It is illegal. You cannot do it. It is a crime punishable by up to a year in jail and fines.”

And yet L.A. landlords for at least 400 rental properties seem to have ignored Bonta’s warning as they seek to maximize profits in the midst of an ongoing disaster.

That number comes from a crowdsourced spreadsheet launched by housing advocate Chelsea Kirk of the Los Angeles Tenants Union — complete with addresses, Zillow links, dates of rent increases and exact pre- and post-hike prices.

Stories of price gouging have been circulating on social media and in news reports for days. But Kirk’s spreadsheet, which anyone can contribute to, is the most comprehensive source yet.

One of the more extreme examples is a 9,615-square-foot Tudor mansion in Bel Air that was listed for $29,500 a month in December — before reappearing last week for $39,000 a month. But more modest properties aren’t exempt. A 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom in Woodland Hills was listed for $3,900 in November; it’s now $5,900.

Read more here.

As is often the case in California after a devastating wildfire, the “people want answers” part of the equation takes on an ideological dimension, pitting those who focus on an immediate cause — such as arson or damaged power lines — against those who blame underlying conditions like climate change.

In the Kenneth Fire, for instance, police arrested a man last week who they said was attempting to light a fire in Woodland Hills. Residents of Altadena also reported what they described as flames originating from power lines in the area that they believe started the Eaton Fire.

At the same time, climate scientists continue to emphasize the growing body of evidence showing that climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels is making wildfire conditions much worse.

Read more from Yahoo News.

The National Weather Service has expanded the areas that are expected to get the most dangerous winds.

Outlined in purple on the map below, Oxnard, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks are among the local areas now under the expanded "particularly dangerous situation" (PDS) red flag warning. The expanded area also includes a big portion of the Eaton Fire perimeter.

Those PDS areas could experience winds gusts up to 70 mph from early Tuesday morning into Wednesday, which could cause extreme fire behavior in existing blazes, or turn a small spark into a raging fire.

Communities are left reeling from the Palisades and Eaton wildfire devastation, with homes, churches and businesses burned to the ground, as photos show below.

Read more from Yahoo News.

President Biden issued a statement Monday in response to the increasing death toll from the wildfires, saying, "Our hearts ache for the 24 innocent souls we have lost in the wildfires across Los Angeles."

Biden said he and the First Lady are praying for the victims and their loved ones and are "deeply saddened by the devastation caused by the unprecedented ongoing wildfires across Southern California."

"My Administration remains laser-focused on helping survivors and we will continue to use every tool available to support the urgent firefight as the winds are projected to increase," the president said.

Biden thanked the firefighters and first responders, saying, "You represent the best of America and we are in your debt."

A man whose house was destroyed by the Palisades Fire has been reunited with his dog. An NBC correspondent captured the joyous moment Casey Colvin found Oreo in his neighbor's driveway Sunday.

According to NBC Los Angeles, Colvin was at work when he was ordered to evacuate last Tuesday. He tried to go back to rescue Oreo and his other dog, named Tika Tika Tika, but was unable to reach his home due to roadblocks. A firefighter who offered to go to his property was able to find Tika Tika Tika, but Oreo had run away.

Some people in the area responded to Colvin's missing-dog flier, saying they had seen Oreo sleeping in the chimney of a neighbor's yard.

Colvin used Tika Tika Tika to coax Oreo down the driveway before grabbing the pooch from under a gate.

A lawsuit filed against Southern California Edison on Monday claims that the energy provider's equipment sparked the Eaton Fire in the Pasadena area.

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of homeowners, renters and business owners seeking damages for property losses caused by the wildfires.

The suit alleges that the utility company didn't properly maintain its electrical infrastructure.

“[Southern California Edison] knew about the significant risk of wildfires caused by its aging and overloaded utility towers and power poles years before the Eaton Fire began,” according to the complaint.

Pedro Pizarro, the president and CEO of Edison International, appeared on Good Morning America on Monday and was asked if the utility company's equipment and lines played a role in the outbreak of the Eaton Fire, which has now covered over 14,000 acres.

"At this point, we have not seen the kind of electrical anomaly that you would usually see with an event like this," Pizarro said. "We may find something different. We want to inspect, we want assistance from investigators and then we want to be transparent with the public."

The official cause of the Eaton Fire, as well as the Palisades and Hurst fires, is still being investigated by law enforcement.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said Monday that it is rescheduling the announcement of nominations for this year's Oscars due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.

The event, which had been scheduled for Friday, has been pushed back to Jan. 23.

In addition, the annual Oscar nominees luncheon, which was scheduled for Feb. 10, will not be held this year.

The Oscars will still be held on Sunday, March 2, at 7 p.m. ET.

The Recording Academy sent a letter to members Monday stating that despite the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, the Grammy Awards will go on as scheduled on Feb. 2.

The show will double as a benefit to raise money for fire relief and response efforts, the Academy said, adding that it has already distributed more than $2 million in emergency aid.

“In challenging times, music has the power to heal, comfort, and unite like nothing else,” the letter reads. "The GRAMMYs will not only honor the artistry and achievements of our music community but also serve as a platform to amplify the spirit of resilience that defines this great city of Los Angeles."

Some Los Angeles County residents eager to return to their see if their homes are still intact have been unable to do so, even though fires may not currently be active in their neighborhoods.

L.A. County officials have cited fire flare-ups, downed utilities and ongoing grid searches for missing people and remains as some of the reasons why residents cannot return just yet.

However, officials said Monday that residents can now get an update on the status of their property at recovery.lacounty.gov, which shows newly released maps featuring color-coded icons that indicate whether a home or business was destroyed, suffered major or minor damage, or did not sustain any damage. Residents can type in an address to see its status.

"Please note that the preliminary maps have been posted and are being updated daily," Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said on Monday morning. If a structure does not have a color code, it has not been inspected yet, Marrone added.

Responding to a reporter's question about traffic jams triggered by mandatory evacuation alerts, L.A. County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone suggested that those who receive an evacuation warning should evacuate before an order is issued.

"I would recommend in an abundance of caution, if you get an alert on your telephone for an evacuation warning, leave then — don't wait for the order," Marrone said. "Because we know from experience that if you wait for the order, you might get caught up in the congestion."

Marrone also urged residents not to silence the emergency alerts on their phones.

"If we send out an alert at 3 a.m. on Tuesday [morning] or Wednesday [morning], we want you to wake up," he said.

Nearly three dozen people have been arrested in evacuated areas, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday, including four who were arrested overnight.

Two were arrested for curfew violations, Luna said, and two others were arrested in what he described as a drone incident, bringing the total number of arrests to 34.

"If you do not have business in the evacuation areas, do not go there," Luna said.

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said authorities would be holding a press conference later Monday to announce the first formal charges in a looting case and an arson case. (The arson case is not connected to ongoing wildfires but happened "on the sidelines," he said.)

Hochman hinted that more charges for burglary and "price gouging" by business owners would be announced soon.

He called those who have used the wildfires as an opportunity to commit crimes "despicable and disgraceful."

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna gave an update on the death toll and missing persons reported amid the ongoing fires during a press conference on Monday. The numbers are specifically for within the Los Angeles County jurisdiction.

• 21 confirmed deaths: 16 in the Eaton Fire area and five in the Palisades area

• 23 active missing persons reported: 17 in Eaton Fire area, six in Malibu area

Luna said all of those reported missing so far are adults, adding, "Thank God" none are juveniles.

"Please be patient with us," Luna said of the grid searches being conducted. "People are saying 'I just want to go look at my house and I want to see what's left.' We know that. But we have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors," Luna said.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Monday that the number of people under mandatory evacuation orders has decreased to about 92,000. It had been above 130,000 as recently as Friday.

Another 89,000 people remain under evacuation warnings, Luna said.

Luna said that the "repopulation" of evacuated areas is a priority but that it is still too dangerous to allow for a safe return.

"We understand that people want to go back, but it is dangerous to do so," he said. "And we will not put anybody's safety at risk."