The Eaton fire that has caused widespread destruction in several foothill communities grew slightly to 13,956 acres charred by Friday morning, Jan. 10, with decreased overnight winds helping crews reach 3% containment as they worked to set a perimeter line on the deadly blaze.
Fire officials suspect that more than 7,000 homes, business and other structures in Altadena, Sierra Madre and Pasadena have been damaged or destroyed by the wind-driven flames, based on aerial imagery. Crews have not yet officially confirmed the vast majority of that damage.
With the winds that prevented aerial water drops earlier in the week decreasing, crews have been able to substantially slow the fire’s progression. The estimate of destroyed acreage released by fire officials on Friday morning was about 250 acres more than the day prior — a far slower growth rate than when fierce and erratic Santa Ana winds fueled the flames on Tuesday and early Wednesday.
The 3% figure was the first time fire officials have reported any containment number, the percentage of the fire’s border where officials believe flames will not jump.
Overnight, fire crews extinguished hot spots near structures in the burn area, while water-dropping aircraft deployed to the northeast perimeter of the blaze, near Chantry Flats. Officials said their focus on Friday was continuing to protect structures and increasing containment on the blaze’s East, North and West flanks.
Large-scale evacuation orders remained, along with a newly-instated 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew in those neighborhoods. Law enforcement officials warned that anyone caught breaking that curfew — or attempting to loot homes or businesses — would be arrested and prosecuted.
On Thursday afternoon, the fire made a push toward Mt. Wilson, a peak above the San Gabriel Valley that is home to key communications towers and equipment, but no buildings were destroyed.
One firefighter was injured in a “significant fall” while battling the blaze on Thursday, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said. The firefighter’s injuries were not life-threatening, the chief added. Four other firefighters have also reportedly been injured in the course of battling the Eaton fire.
Chief Marrone, during a news conference on Friday morning, said that when it comes to weather, ” the region is in a much better posture than we were earlier this week.”
But officials are preparing for strong winds and red flag warnings to return early next week, Marrone acknowledged.
The chief warned drone users to stay away from the burn areas. On Thursday, an illegal drone reportedly collided with a Super Scooper flying over the Palisades fire, grounding the aircraft until it can be repaired.
“If you fly a drone at one of these brush fires, all aerial operations will be shut down,” the chief said, referencing the water drops that have been a key part of battling the blazes.
At least five people have been killed by the fire, which forced evacuations in Altadena, Pasadena, Sierra Madre and La Canada Flintridge. Countywide, more than 150,000 people were under evacuation orders on Friday as a result of the fires burning across Los Angeles County, and more than 160,000 were subject to evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said during the news conference.
Around 1,600 fire personnel were assigned to the Eaton fire as of Friday morning, along with 203 engines, 17 dozers and 39 water tenders.