By CatholicVote | Created at 2025-01-13 23:19:30 | Updated at 2025-01-14 14:24:47
15 hours ago
CV NEWS FEED // At least 24 people have died from the fires raging in Los Angeles, according to a Jan. 13 report from NBC Los Angeles. The fires are currently burning 38,600 acres in the region.
According to NBC Los Angeles, an additional 23 people are reported missing in the area.
Authorities have filed burglary charges against six people who were arrested after alleged break-ins inside the Pacific Palisades and Altadena wildfire evacuation zones on Jan. 9, according to a separate NBC Los Angeles report last updated on Jan. 13.
FOX News reported on Jan. 12 that approximately 25 burglar suspects have been arrested in the Eaton fire area, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna. Luna said one suspect had dressed up as a firefighter and was caught attempting to burglarize a home.
The fires have destroyed over 12,000 structures, according to a Jan. 13 CBS News report. As of the evening of Jan. 12, the Palisades Fire was 13% contained, and the Eaton Fire was 27% contained, according to CBS News. More than 14,000 personnel, including officials from California, eight other states, Canada, and Mexico, are battling the fires.
The majority of schools in the LA County Unified School District were set to reopen Jan. 13, according to CBS News.
Luna said on Jan. 13 that 90,000 Los Angeles County residents are under evacuation orders, CBS News reported. An additional 89,000 people are under evacuation warnings.
Shortly after the first fires in the region broke out last week, Archbishop José Gomez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles urged the faithful to pray for the safety of those battling the fire, and for the victims and those affected by the fire. On Jan. 9 and 10, Archbishop Gomez was set to celebrate several Masses for the first responders and victims of the fire.
Last week, 90 Catholic schools in the area closed due to the fires. Corpus Christi, a local Catholic church, has been completely destroyed by the fire. As CatholicVote previously reported, other nearby Catholic churches in the Los Angeles area worked to provide shelter and resources to affected families.
