Editor's Note: Live updates on the fire from LA can be found here. Our story continues below.
The two biggest wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area -- the Palisades Fire, and the Eaton Fire -- have killed at least 10 people and burned more than 10,000 homes and other structures, officials said as they urged more people to heed evacuation orders after a new blaze ignited and quickly grew.
And while firefighters made significant gains Thursday at slowing the spread of the major fires, but overall containment remained far out of reach.
The Kenneth Fire started in the late Thursday afternoon in the San Fernando Valley just 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from a school serving as a shelter for evacuees from another fire. It moved into neighboring Ventura County but a large and aggressive response by firefighters stopped the flames from spreading.
How you can help those affected by the California wildfires
About 400 firefighters remained on scene overnight to guard against the fire flaring up.
Only hours before the Kenneth Fire roared to life officials expressed encouragement after firefighters aided by calmer winds and help from crews from outside the state saw the first signs of successfully beating back the region’s two devastating wildfires.
According to officials, as of early Friday morning, the Kenneth Fire was at 35 percent containment.
LA Fires containment: Latest percentages
The Eaton Fire near Pasadena that started Tuesday night has burned more than 5,000 structures, a term that includes homes, apartment buildings, businesses, outbuildings and vehicles. Firefighters were able to establish the first bit of containment Thursday, though percentages remained at zero as of early Friday moring.
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To the west in Pacific Palisades, the largest of the fires burning in the LA area was nearly 20,000 acres in size, with more than 13,000 structures threatened. As of early Friday morning, it was at 6 percent containment, according to fire officials.
According to officials, the Hurst Fire, also burning in the area, was at 37 percent containment, and the Lidia Fire was at 75 percent containment.
All of the major fires that have broken out this week are located in a roughly 25-mile (40-kilometer) band north of downtown Los Angeles, spreading a sense of fear and sadness across the nation’s second-largest city. No cause has been identified for the largest fires.
Several weather monitoring agencies announced Friday that Earth recorded its hottest year ever in 2024. “Hurricane Helene, floods in Spain and the weather whiplash fueling wildfires in California are symptoms of this unfortunate climate gear shift,” University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd said.
How does the Great Chicago Fire compare to Palisades fire? A look at the numbers
The level of devastation is jarring even in a state that has grown used to massive wildfires. A large portion of scenic Pacific Palisades has been obliterated. Dozens of blocks in the seaside neighborhood were flattened to smoldering rubble. In neighboring Malibu, blackened palm strands were all that was left above debris where oceanfront homes once stood.
At least five churches, a synagogue, seven schools, two libraries, boutiques, bars, restaurants, banks and groceries were burned. So too were the Will Rogers’ Western Ranch House and Topanga Ranch Motel, local landmarks dating to the 1920s.
The government has not yet released figures on the cost of the damage or specifics about how many structures burned.
AccuWeather, a private company that provides data on weather and its impact, on Thursday increased its estimate of the damage and economic loss to $135-$150 billion.
Crews also knocked down the Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills with the help of water drops from aircraft, allowing an evacuation to be lifted Thursday. The fire that sparked late Wednesday near the heart of the entertainment industry came perilously close to igniting the famed Hollywood Bowl outdoor concert venue.
Evacuations, school closures and arrests
At least 180,000 people were under evacuation orders, and the fires have consumed about 45 square miles (117 square kilometers), which is roughly the size of San Francisco. The Palisades Fire is already the most destructive in Los Angeles’ history.
All schools in the Los Angeles Unified School District, the nation’s second largest, will be closed again Friday because of the heavy smoke wafting over the city and ash raining down in parts.
At least 20 arrests have been made for looting. The city of Santa Monica, which is next to Pacific Palisades, declared a curfew because of the lawlessness, officials said.
National Guard troops arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday evening. They’ll be stationed near fire-ravaged areas to protect property.
Actors among those who lost homes
Many celebrities live in areas devastated by fire. Among those who lost their homes were Billy Crystal, Mandy Moore and Paris Hilton.
Jamie Lee Curtis pledged $1 million to start a “fund of support” for those affected by the fires that touched all economic levels from the city’s wealthy to its working class.
State seeing a longer fire season
California’s wildfire season is beginning earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and decreased rainfall tied to climate change, according to recent data.
Dry winds, including the notorious Santa Anas, have contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in Southern California, which has not seen more than 0.1 inches (2.5 millimeters) of rain since early May.
