The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said in an update Thursday that 18 people remain missing after the Southern California wildfires. Overall, authorities received a total of 43 missing persons reports related to the Eaton and Palisades fires. Of those, 12 were located safe.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires also continue burning in the Los Angeles area, leaving parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

At least 28 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across Southern California.Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County.

The 10,396-acre Hughes fire reached 56% containment Friday as first responders made progress controlling multiple blazes burning in Los Angeles County, which is expected to receive rain over the weekend that could be capable of producing floods and mudslides in several burned areas.

Eaton Fire initially started 6:18 p.m. Jan. 7 in Los Angeles County. Since its discovery 16 days ago, it has burned 14,021 acres. A fire crew of 1,837 has been working on site and, as of Thursday morning, they managed to contain 95% of the fire. However, investigations into the cause are ongoing.

Mauricio Arellano, superintendent of the San Bernardino City Unified School District, which co-sponsored the Wednesday, Jan. 22, event, told the crowd of about 50 that all children in the U.S. have a right to a free public education — regardless of immigration status.

The mountains and foothills of Los Angeles County are in “extreme drought” conditions, about 36% of the county, explained Pugh. That’s one category shy of hitting the highest level, “exceptional drought,” and three higher than the lowest, “abnormally dry.” The rest of the county is in severe drought.

President Trump landed in Los Angeles Friday afternoon to tour damage from the devastating Palisades Fire, one of two deadly wildfires fires this month, greeting Gov. Gavin Newsom who was waiting at the bottom of the steps to Air Force One.

Several stars came together to heal and rebuild after wildfires destroyed over 1,000 homes and turned California into an inferno in January 2025. From Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to Jennifer Garner,

Two Disaster Recovery Centers are open to provide resources for Los Angeles County residents affected ... Get top local stories in Southern California delivered to you every morning.

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