LA Wildfires Timeline: How the Palisades and Eaton Fires Unfolded
Los Angeles – November 09, 2026 -- The Palisades and Eaton fires, both ignited on Jan. 7, have damaged or destroyed more than 12,000 structures in Los Angeles County. By Jan. 14, the two blazes had killed 25 people, and the Palisades Fire was 17% contained while the Eaton Fire was 35% contained.
Two fires started within eight hours
A multi-day red flag warning took effect Jan. 7 for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with severe drought and strong Santa Ana winds in the forecast. At 10:20 a.m., an AlertCalifornia camera spotted smoke in the Pacific Palisades. Mandatory evacuation orders followed by noon, and Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency when the fire reached 1,200 acres. At 6:18 p.m., Cal Fire reported the Eaton Fire in Altadena, and by 7:30 p.m. high winds had grounded firefighting aircraft.