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The California National Guard has boots on the ground tonight in the fight against the fires ravaging L.A. County and preying looters.
Armored vehicles were seen on the 210-freeway late Thursday traveling towards the Eaton Fire that has torn through Pasadena and Altadena the past several days forcing thousands to evacuate and burning homes and other buildings to the ground.
Having started on January 7, the Eaton Fire has charred almost 14,000 acres with 0% containment as of tonight. With the region now under a 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. curfew for areas under mandatory evacuation orders, areas in the County, the 400 troops deployed will make a dedicated effort to clamp down on empty homes and businesses being robbed.
There have been 20 arrests of looters in evacuation zones so far, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a press conference today. “You will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” the Sheriff said Thursday of looters and those scamming residents of burnt communities
Initially the Guard troops will be in place around the Eaton Fire and the devastating Palisades Fire.
However, those orders could take on other municipalities and neighborhoods battling other fires over the next few days depending on the need, a law enforcement source tells Deadline
Under criticism for waiting too long to get the Guard out on the streets and not approving the request from the County until Thursday afternoon, Gov. Gavin Newsom tonight made sure the show of force was well-known:
As the Sunset Fire around the Hollywood Hills was contained late Wednesday, a new blaze ignited in Calabasas and Hidden Hills on Thursday afternoon. Now called the Kenneth Fire, the flames were buoyed by the Santa Ana winds to tear through almost 1000 acres by 5:30 p.m. today. Even though Friday is a Red Flag Warning day in the County, the winds are predicted to die off on January 10 by mid-morning from the 100 mph experienced earlier this week.
A suspect was taken in for questioning by the LAPD today for potentially being the arsonist behind the Kenneth Fire.
Half a dozen fires have hit L.A. County as the Santa Ana winds have swept over the region this week. The fires have destroyed tens of thousands of acres, killed around 10 people, and see thousands of homes and buildings damages or wiped off the face of the Earth
