As the firefight continues, the names of people who lost their lives in the blaze are being released. One of the most recent people identified is 84-year-old Zhi-feng Zhao, an Altadena resident who immigrated from China in 1989. His remains were found by his son Shaw Zhao, who flew from Portland, Oregon, to Los Angeles to see his father--who he describes as “smart and talented"-- and was worried to see the neighborhood was in an evacuation zone. Zhao said he had trouble getting to his father’s house and had to walk an hour on foot.
His son Shaw Zhao told reporters that he bought the Altadena home in 2003. His mother, a local Chinese schoolteacher, died from cancer in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He just loved the peace, the fresh air above Altadena,” Zhao said of his father, noting that he was an avid hiker, active and strong until his wife passed away. He’d since required the help of a caregiver, who was out of town when the fires started.
Closing summary
Thanks for joining our live coverage of the Los Angeles wildfires so far today. It’s 6.30pm in California and this blog is closing. These are the top headlines we followed this afternoon and evening:
There are five wildfires currently raging in Los Angeles county. They include:
The Palisades fire, at 23,713 acres and 19% containment.
The Eaton fire, at 14,117 acres and 45% containment.
The Hurst fire, at 799 acres and 97% containment.
The Little Mountain fire, at 34 acres and 0% containment.
The Auto fire, at 61 acres and 85% containment.
Forecasters expect a “much-needed break” but say next week is a “concern”. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles said the dry winds fueling wildfires had eased on Wednesday and were forecast to change direction on Thursday afternoon.
More than 120,000 customers remained without power in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. On Wednesday afternoon, nearly 100,000 of those were customers of Southern California Edison energy company in Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernadino and Riverside counties.
Nearly 30 people were still missing, Los Angeles county sheriff Robert Luna said. Deputies have searched more than 5,500 properties for victims from the Eaton Fire and hoped to finish in that area by Thursday, he said. The fires have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
A particularly dangerous situation red flag warning expired on Wednesday afternoon, the NWS in Los Angeles said. Still, dry conditions and locally gusty winds will linger into Thursday – especially in some mountain areas.
Officials formed a taskforce to combat crimes related to the Los Angeles wildfires. The taskforce is composed of federal and local law enforcement agencies, including the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and local prosecutors, and will focus on arson, looting, fraud, illegal drone activity and related offenses, according to the United States attorney for the central district of California.
California governor Gavin Newsom announced that he signed an executive order to allow cleanup crews from the US Environmental Protection Agency offices to move into neighborhoods devastated by the Los Angeles fires.
The Grammy awards will not be canceled or postponed as wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles. The ceremony will instead refocus the show on fire relief efforts.
Updated
