Visualizing the Los Angeles wildfires on maps and charts

Visualizing the Los Angeles wildfires on maps and charts

Current information on the fire situation

Here we provide an overview of the latest available maps of the Palisades Fire, which are automatically updated as new data arrives. CAL FIRE uses sensors on aircraft to collect data about the extent of fires. However, due to strong winds, most aircraft are unable to take off and updates to recorded fire boundaries are delayed. Track the size and containment estimates of the fires currently raging across the state.

Evacuations and security measures

California authorities are continually updating information on areas affected by evacuation orders and warnings. Currently, over 155,000 people in Los Angeles County are under strong evacuation orders due to the fires in Eaton, Palisades and Hurst. These numbers were determined as of 11 a.m. ET Wednesday morning through a CNN analysis of census data and are double the official estimates as of Wednesday morning.

History of the Palisades Fire

The Palisades Fire has spread at an alarming rate, burning more than 2,900 acres as of 6:18 p.m. Tuesday. On Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said over 5,000 acres have been affected in the Palisades Fire.

Air quality and health risks

Air quality will be a key concern as fires continue to rage. Here we take a look at the air quality data, which is automatically updated every 30 minutes. Such extreme conditions not only cause destruction, but can also pose health risks to the population.

Historical perspective

Summer months are typically the most critical for wildfire damage in California. Such fires are rare in January. The chart below shows the average number of acres burned per month over the last decade.

Both the Palisades and Eaton fires are already among the five largest fires to hit Los Angeles County since at least 2013.

This story is developing and will be updated regularly to provide the latest information.