NBC News' Ellison Barber reports that progress is being made containing the Eaton, Hurst and Palisades wildfires, but red flag warnings are still in effect. At least 25 people have died and more than 12,000 structures have been destroyed or damaged.

Los Angeles

More than a thousand structures have been destroyed and lives lost as wildfires sweep across parts of Los Angeles.

LA Wildfires

Progress in containing the wildfires in Southern California, including the Eaton, Hurst, and Palisades fires, has been reported amidst ongoing critical fire conditions prompted by the Santa Ana winds. The fires have resulted in the destruction or damage of more than 12,000 structures. The Eaton fire is currently about 35 percent contained after burning over 14,000 acres, the Palisades fire is 19 percent contained having burned over 23,000 acres, and the Hurst fire has reached 97 percent containment having affected close to 800 acres.

Despite these advancements, red flag warnings remain in effect as strong winds are anticipated, heightening the risk of potential flare-ups or new fires. Firefighters had strategically positioned fire engines and patrols across Los Angeles (L.A.) Region to address any subsequent fires. Overnight, there were a few new fires which were quickly contained, preventing any escalation similar to the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Community members are eager to assess the damage to their homes, but access remains restricted due to safety concerns. Downed power lines and unstable structures due to fire damage pose significant hazards, and residents are advised against returning to their properties. Officials stress the danger of hidden hot spots within the rubble, which could potentially reignite. In response, efforts to escort residents back to their neighborhoods have been paused for safety reasons.



Progress is made containing Eaton and Palisades fires

Southern California again facing extremely critical fire conditions is caused by a new period of Santa Ana winds today across parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. So far, wildfires have destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 structures. Let's get to Ellison Barber with the latest from Pasadena this morning. Ellison. Hey, good morning, David. You know, when you look at these containment levels, progress has been made. The Eaton fire, which is closest where we are, that is now at about 35% containment. That being said, the fire has burned over 14,000 acres when it comes to the Palisades fire that is now at 19% contained, but it is burned over 23,000 acres. The Hearst fire that has burned close to 800 acres now, 97% contained. You see the extreme winds and the fire that brought all of this destruction and damage to these communities. We were lucky overnight. The winds were not nearly as bad as forecasted, but as you mentioned, we're not out of the woods yet. Those high wind warnings and potential high fire risk that is still in effect through today. The L. A. Fire. They had said they had pre positioned fire engines and patrols throughout the L. A. Region in anticipation of those winds and the possibility of new fires erupting. A lot of people breathing a sigh of relief this morning that there was not a lot of new fires that started overnight. There were a couple, but they were quickly, largely contained or seemingly put out. Nothing like what we saw with the Palisades and Eaton fire Eaton fires. This community, though, still processing what has happened here. Many people still desperate trying to get back to their homes just to assess the damage. Some of them to see if their homes are still standing. Recovery dot L. A. County dot gov is a place where people are able to go and look in these communities for preliminary damage assessments and just to see on the maps whether or not their homes are still standing. But for a lot of people, they have said that's not enough. They want to be able to go back to these homes to see them. But firefighters, they have said, Look, it's simply unsafe. We have so many downed power lines. We have trees that have been burned that can collapse and fall on people. On top of that, in many of these homes, particularly near the area where we are in the Eaton fire, a lot of these homes and buildings had basements. And when they burned and collapsed, the levels of the building pancaked on top of each other. And when they are concrete buildings or bricks, that is where heat gets trapped underneath them and hot spots happen and flames can reignite. So what fire officials and the police have been telling people they say, Look, we were doing escorts trying to take people back into some of these communities earlier. We've had to halt those entirely because it is still simply too unsafe to allow people back into these communities.

President Trump has been briefed on new military options for a strike against Iran amid widespread protests and a government crackdown on communications for Iranians, a senior U.S. official tells CBS News. "We'll be hitting them very hard where it hurts," he said at the White House.

Washington

Trump briefed on new military options for Iran strikes amid protests

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Tehran

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Las Vegas

Rise of AI

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Victoria

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Protests in Iran defy government crackdown

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Iran's army threatens to join crackdown against protesters

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Nuuk

Greenland rejects Trump's threats

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Philadelphia

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Cebu City

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Simon's Town

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New York

Luigi Mangione's lawyers fight to block death penalty

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Thousands of firefighters deployed to fight bushfires in Australia

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Minneapolis

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Venezuela Strikes

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Kyiv

Ukraine Invasion

Russia fires hypersonic missile at Ukraine target near NATO border

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Brussels

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Cúcuta

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Portland

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Odesa

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LA Wildfires