Unauthorized drone incidents over the Los Angeles County fire zones are now "well into the double digits," Akil Davis, the assistant director in charge of the Los Angeles FBI Field Office, told NBC News Saturday.

The most serious incident was a drone hitting a SuperScooper from Quebec as it dropped water over flames in the Palisades Thursday. The strike put the aircraft out of service until at least Monday, and possibly even longer.

Officials have recovered pieces of the drone and are currently examining them. No arrests have been made stemming from the incident.

Flying a drone in a fire zone designated by the FAA is illegal and can result in citations or federal charges in more serious cases, like the one on Thursday.

President-elect Trump has every intention of visiting Southern California, but a date has not yet been set, Trump transition senior advisor Jason Miller said.

Miller was asked on Fox News Saturday whether a decision had been made for the incoming commander-in-chief to visit the sites of the devastating wildfires.

"We know it's a top priority, but I don't want to get ahead of the president and his scheduling team at this moment," Miller said.

Both California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger have invited Trump to survey the area.

City officials are hosting a community meeting in person and online to provide an update on the Eaton Fire.

The meeting will be at 4 p.m. on Sunday at 1570 E. Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena.

Community members can submit their questions in advance to 2025.eaton@firenet.gov to be answered at the end of the presentation.

The meeting will also be livestreamed here.

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The Los Angeles Fire Department is asking the public to put a pause on donations at their fire stations after a surge of contributions were dropped off at stations across LA County.

In a post on Facebook, LAFD said they're grateful for the initiative, but trying to manage the abundance of donations "impacts our critical operations."

"We have worked with local council districts and nonprofit organizations to accept your donations and ensure they are provided to those most in need," wrote LAFD.

About 40,000 homes and businesses are still without power in Los Angeles as the city continues to battle multiple wildfires at once, according to the most recent data from Poweroutage.us, a website that monitors outages across the country.

The most recent data shows that Southern California Edison has the largest number of customers currently without power in the county, with about 24,500. That number went up overnight into Sunday morning.

The Los Angeles Department of Water & Power customers come in second, with about 16,100 customers without power.

A statement from LADWP released late Saturday pushed back on widespread claims that fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades were faulty, hindering the early stages of the fire fight.

"Any assertion that fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades were broken before the Palisades fire is misleading and false," the agency said in the statement.

According to LADWP, it "repaired every hydrant needing repairs as reported by LA Fire Department inspectors," and that its "fire hydrant repair list was current and updated, and all reported fire hydrants were fully operational in the Pacific Palisades and in L.A.’s Westside communities prior to the fire."

Still, the agency LADWP acknowledged that up to 20% of its hydrants may have experienced loss of pressure. "Water pressure in the system was lost due to unprecedented and extreme water demand to fight the wildfire without aerial support." It says that the demand made it difficult to immediately refill water tanks, but that it deployed mobile tanks immediately.

LADWP says it will conduct its own internal investigation "about water resiliency and how we can enhance our posture to respond to the impacts of climate change." 

A round of gusty northeast winds is in the forecast through Sunday for the traditional Santa Ana wind-prone areas, including the San Fernando Valley and the Santa Monica mountains. 

Wind gusts are expected to range anywhere between 30 to 50 mph before gradually easing by Sunday afternoon. 

There will be, yet again, another Santa Ana winds Monday through Wednesday with gusts around 40 to 60 mph likely, especially on Tuesday. 

With the combination of gusty winds and low humidity, Red Flag Warnings have been extended until Wednesday. 

Wildfires fanned by intense winds were still raging Saturday, tearing through multiple Los Angeles-area neighborhoods.

Tens of thousands have fled their homes in Pacific Palisades, in Pasadena and Altadena and La Cañada and Santa Monica and other areas threatened by the flames, and many weren't sure when they'd be able to return — or what would be left to return to.

Click here to see ways you can help people in need.

As flames threatened the upscale Mandeville Canyon and Encino areas of Los Angeles, firefighters took advantage of better weather to stop flames from expanding the Palisades Fire's northern footprint today.

Cooler Pacific winds in the area earlier today blew inland from the south-southwest, giving firefighters temporary respite from warm, dry, offshore winds that move from north to south and heat up air molecules under pressure as the gusts descend mountains toward the sea.

"Winds are in our favor in that area, so it looks really good," said Cal Fire Operations Chief Christian Litz.

He explained that some of the northeastern contours of the fire near Mandeville Canyon were fortified with dozer lines amid the fire's northern pause. "We watched as it was backing down," Litz said during a community meeting streamed for public viewing tonight.

The area has been the subject of concern after evacuation warnings spread across the 405 freeway into parts of Bel Air and abutting the campus of UCLA in Westwood. The fire didn't jump the freeway.

The city of Malibu has lost about 1/3 of its eastern edge to the Palisades Fire, Mayor Doug Stewart said.

"The beautiful homes that were along the area ... they're gone. For the most part, they're gone," Stewart said at a community meeting Satuday night.

Stewart said a number of homes along Pacific Coast Highway and the community of Big Rock are gone, and more homes from Big Rock to Carbon Mesa Road are “severely damaged or gone.”

The Palisades Fire began in the Pacific Palisades on Tuesday and has burned 23,654 acres in the area, with 11% containment as of Sunday morning.

It's the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history and has wreaked havoc in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, claiming more than 5,000 structures, according to a Los Angeles Fire Department update.

Six additional strike teams are headed to Southern California from across 11 Oregon counties, according to a press release from the Oregon State Fire Marshal.

“We understand the gravity of the disaster taking place in California," Oregon State Fire Marshal Mariana Ruiz-Temple said. “Please rest assured our system is designed to ensure adequate coverage for our communities at home while at the same time providing support to those impacted by a disaster.”

As of Saturday, the state of Oregon has sent 21 strike teams alongside 75 fire engines, 30 water tenders, and 370 firefighters to aid California's fight against the Palisades and Eaton fires.

Fire behavior analyst Dennis Burns told community members that it is expected that future rain will lead to mudslides in the Palisades and Altadena burn scar areas, similar to other burn scars in Southern California after previous wildfires.

Los Angeles County Fire Department, alongside other city leaders, will host a virtual conference at 6:30 p.m. Saturday to update homeowners about the ongoing battle against the Palisades Fire.

City leadership will also address questions from the public typed in the chat at the end of the meeting.

The fire has scorched 23,654 acres and is being held at 11% containment.

The conference can be livestreamed here.

SAG-AFTRA, Hollywood's biggest union, is donating $1 million to the SAG-AFTRA Foundation for Fire Relief, which will aid unit members "experiencing hardship" as a result of the fires in L.A.

The union represents about 160,000 actors and media professionals.

"The destruction caused by these blazes, the loss of life and homes, has been gut-wrenching to experience, and of course our hearts go out to all affected," SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement.

"But we knew we could do more; we hope this pledge helps relieve suffering and assists those impacted in putting their lives back together after this calamity," Drescher added.

She also noted that she has been personally affected by the fires but did not offer details.

A man spent the afternoon handing out cash to fire victims in Westwood.

Crews with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power have restored power to 352,632 customers since the start of the windstorm that left thousands with no electricity.

There are currently 26,139 people still without power, and 6,900 of those customers are located in the Palisades Fire area.

LADWP crews are prioritizing downed wire safety first and ask anyone who encounters a downed wire to stay away and dial 911.

Los Angeles County issued an updated list of areas currently affected by unsafe drinking water Saturday evening as crews continue to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires. 

• Kinneloa Irrigation District Do Not Use Notice
• LADWP for Zip Code 90272 Boil Water Notice
• LA County Waterworks Districts (LACWD)
  • LACWD No 21, Kagel Canyon Boil Water Notice English & Spanish
  • LACWD No 29, Malibu
    Do Not Use Notice English
    Do Not Use Notice Spanish
• Las Flores Water Company Do Not Use Notice
• Lincoln Water Company Do Not Use Notice
• Pasadena Water and Power Do Not Use Notice
• Rubio Canon Land and Water Association Do Not Use Notice

An ongoing updated list can be found here.

The City of Los Angeles opened three drop-off donation centers to help those affected by the ongoing brush fires in LA County, Mayor Karen Bass’ office announced.

Each donation site is requesting specific items from good Samaritans. See below for the drop-off locations and goods requested.

Council District 11 Office — Westchester

Location: 7166 W. Manchester Ave., Westchester, CA 90045

Time: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Weekends, 12 to 4 p.m.

Los Angeles County Fire Department, alongside other city leaders, will host a virtual conference at 4 p.m. Saturday to update homeowners about the ongoing battle against the Eaton Fire.

City leadership will also address questions from the public typed in the chat at the end of the meeting.

The fire has scorched 14,117 acres and is being held at 15% containment.

The conference can be livestreamed here.

The death toll in Southern California’s wildfires has increased to 13, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department announced in a press conference Saturday.

The Eaton Fire in Altadena claimed the lives of two more people, killing a total of eight individuals. Meanwhile, five people died in the Palisades Fire.

The Los Angeles County Medical Examiner's office has been tracking the fire-related deaths online.

With some residents unable to connect with loved ones in wake of the brush fires, a Family Assistance Center opened in Pasadena on Saturday to provide information to people who are missing relatives or friends.

Cal Fire firefighter Edwin Zuniga arrived to help fight the LA County wildfires Friday night from the Sacramento area. He talks about the devastation he’s seen and how he tries to help beyond fighting flames. 

“It’s frustrating to see the destruction for the people. The stress that they must be having and not knowing whether their house has been affected or not,” said Zuniga. “So I try to go to evacuation centers and talk to the people, try to get as many addresses as I can and check in on them personally and give them so peace of mind.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said he's increasing the number of National Guard members deployed to help with the fire response efforts.

A total of 1,680 National Guard personnel have now been deployed to assist Los Angeles first-responders and doubles the number assigned to the task, his office said in a statement.

"We are continuing to rush in resources to rapidly respond to the firestorm in Los Angeles fueled by hurricane-force winds," Newsom said.

"The men and women of the California National Guard are working day and night to help Los Angeles residents during their greatest time of need."

The state has mobilized more than 12,000 personnel, including National Guard members, firefighters and highway patrol officers, to assist in the fire-extinguishing efforts.

New shelters were opened in the LA neighborhoods of Van Nuys and Canoga Park for those displaced by the fires.

They will also provide support and refuge to veterans who were receiving services at Department of Veterans Affairs sites affected by the fires, L.A. County Sheriff Robert G. Luna said in a news conference.

Federal authorities have taken over the investigation into the cause of the deadly Palisades Fire that continues to rip through West Los Angeles.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is looking into what sparked the massive wildfire, according to LA city officials. It’s taken the lead that’s part of an investigative task force to determine the cause.

According to LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell, the task force is comprised of several federal, state and local partners.

“They have tremendous resources and expertise and can bring in resources from across the country to do their investigation,” McDonnell said.

Winds are light to calm Saturday morning but critical fire weather continues as seen with the flare up over the Palisades Fire.

We're anticipating two more wind events this week:

Saturday into Sunday morning:

• Now through noon: Calm to light wind
• Noon - 6 p.m.: North to northeast winds develop
• 6 p.m. - 6 a.m. : Moderate winds, which will be the peak winds, will be 15-30 mph, gusts to 45 mph
• 6 a.m. - noon Sunday: Winds gradually calm, briefly switch direction onshore in the afternoon

Los Angles Mayor Karen Bass insisted today that she and LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley are on the same page despite the latter's recent critical comments about City Hall.

"Let me just say that, as you see here, the chief and I are lockstep in our No. 1 mission, and that mission is to get us past this emergency," Bass said in a news conference.

"We want to make sure that we save lives, we save housing, we save businesses, and if there are differences that we have, we will continue to deal with those in private."

Crowley, who has led the LAFD since 2022, said recently that budget cuts have hindered her department's efforts.

“We can no longer sustain where we are. We do not have enough firefighters,” she told CNN on Friday.

On top of winds that firefighters described as some of the worst they’ve ever seen, they’re also facing drought conditions that have turned dry brush on hillsides into ample fuel for wildfires.

Here’s a look at this week’s drought conditions in Southern California, where most of the region is in moderate to severe drought during what is typically the wettest time of the year. Note that one year ago, no part of California was under drought conditions. 

Pope Francis offered "heartfelt prayers" to the residents of LA county affected by the rampant wildfires, the Vatican said in a statement.

"Saddened by the loss of life and the widespread destruction caused by the fires near Los Angeles, his holiness Pope Francis assures you and the communities affected by this tragedy of his spiritual closeness," the statement said.

After a visit to California Jan. 8, President Joe Biden cancelled his upcoming trip to Italy to focus on the federal government's response to the blazes.

The wind-fanned Palisades Fire, which has forced thousands of LA County residents out of their homes, reached Mandeville Canyon on Saturday.

Aerial footage from NewsChopper 4 captured at least one home burning as smoke and flames inched closer to surrounding homes in the area.

The Kenneth Fire in the western part of the San Fernando Valley is now at 80% containment, an increase of 30% from Friday night.

The fire was first reported Thursday afternoon.

Nightly curfew orders will continue in the evacuation areas of the Palisades and Eaton fires, officials said early Saturday.

The curfew prohibits any people who are not emergency personnel from being in the area between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. nightly.

The curfew is designed to limit the possibility of looters taking advantage of the devastation. It also keeps people out of areas where downed power lines, gas leaks and other hazards have been reported.

Anyone found in violation of curfew, even if they own property in the area, will be subject to arrest or misdemeanor citation.

See the latest evacuation area maps here.

In a press conference, FEMA Regional Administrator Bob Fenton expressed the agency's dedication to helping Los Angeles residents affected by the fires, urging anyone in need of federal assistance to apply at DisasterAssistance.gov.

They have received 16,000 applications so far, he said. He also advised residents to call their insurance companies before filling out an application.

Containment of the Palisades Fire has increased slightly overnight, to 11%.

The fire continues to threaten homes, with expanded evacuation orders now in place for parts of Encino and Tarzana as it crosses the hills toward the Valley.

The Chinese Chamber of Commerce of Los Angeles has announced that the 126th Annual Golden Dragon Parade, which was meant to ring in the Lunar New Year Feb. 8, is postponed until further notice.

Previously purchased grandstand tickets will be valid at the rescheduled parade.

The CCCLA has also postponed the 62nd Miss Los Angeles Chinatown Pageant, originally scheduled for Jan. 19.

Santa Anita Park has canceled racing this weekend due to the still-burning wildfires in the Los Angeles area.

The facility's parking lots are now a charity drop-off location for people donating to help the more than 100,000 people currently displaced by the blazes.

According to Santa Anita Park, "Southern California Edison is using the entire north parking lot as their basecamp to restore power to those in the affected areas and Santa Anita Park is working with additional response organizations requesting space."

The massive Palisades Fire that’s been ripping through coastal communities in West Los Angeles has destroyed more than 5,316 structures destroyed, according to Cal Fire.

In a press conference Saturday morning, Todd Hopkins of the Cal Fire Incident Management Team for the Palisades Fire, confirmed the figure and added that 426 homes were consumed by the blaze.

"Please, what I want you to remember is structures does not mean homes," Hopkins said. "Structures can be homes, outbuildings, RVs, automobiles or other types of things like sheds or outbuildings."

The Palisades Fire's evacuation orders forced more than 153,000 residents out of their homes. Another 166,000 residents are under an evacuation warning.

The Hurst Fire, which began burning in Sylmar Tuesday night, has reached 70% containment, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

Flames consumed more than 700 acres in the San Fernando Valley and forced residents out of their homes when it broke out. As of Thursday, all evacuation orders for the Hurst Fire were lifted.

Six wildfires were burning early Saturday in Los Angeles County.

NBC4's Robert Kovacik briefly caught up with actor Dennis Quaid just as he was retrieving some of his daughter's belongings from his Brentwood home.

“‘Who would have thought?” Quaid told NBC4's Kovacik. “Who would have thought? ... Our experience of reality can change in a moment.”

Quaid told NBC4 that he took his wife and kids to a hotel after their home was on the very edge of the first evacuation zone earlier this week because of the Palisades wildfire.

“We’ve had it lucky,” he said, adding that he has friends whose houses have been destroyed. “What do you do?” he said.

"I can't say enough about the firefighters and the first responders in this town, we've got some good ones, good people here," Quaid said. "They, on a moment’s notice, they’ll do it, and put their lives on the line,” he said.

The Credit Union of Southern California announced it will begin offering  $1.25 million in interest-free loans to assist people impacted by the wildfires in Los Angeles.

"We are deeply committed to supporting our neighbors during this challenging time," the company's CEO, Dave Gunderson, said in a statement. "Through our financial relief programs and our donation to CU Aid, we aim to provide immediate and meaningful assistance to those affected by the wildfires."

The credit union also revealed it will donate $10,000 to CU Aid, a fund dedicated to helping credit unions, their employees, and their communities during times of crisis. The company will also match employee donations to CU aid by up to $5,000 through January 17.

Los Angeles nonprofit, Composed Giving, has organized a free shop for families impacted by the fires to grab items they might need such as clothing, food, and toiletries.

The free shop is being hosted Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Valley Country Market in Woodland Hills.

For those unable to visit in person assistance is available and are urged to call or text 310-400-6470.

Donations are still being accepted except for furniture.

A state of emergency remains in effect for Los Angeles city as winds continue to fan the flames.

New satellite images collected by Maxar Wednesday show the destruction of the Eaton Fire and Palisades Fire burning in Southern California.

See the full image gallery here.

Maxar

Officials warned tonight against civilians flying drones, which might interfere with firefighting operations.

Operations Chief Kristian Litz said drones are useful for officials to help spot areas to mitigate, but the addition of civilian drones creates "a very dangerous situation for us."

"Because anytime a civilian is out there flying a drone, we have to pull back operational aircraft," Litz said at a news conference tonight. "So we want to make it very important that we stop flying private drones so that we can keep our operational aircraft engaged at all time."

🚨 **Drone Use Over Los Angeles County Fires** 🚨

As we battle the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles County, we urge everyone to prioritize safety and adhere to drone regulations.

**Safety First**
-Unauthorized drone flights can severely hinder firefighting efforts and put… pic.twitter.com/EkN00PPdaQ

— LA County Sheriffs (@LASDHQ) January 11, 2025

Yesterday, a drone collided with an aircraft performing water drops in an effort to fight the blazes. The collision left a hole in the wing of the aircraft. It has not been determined whether a civilian was flying that drone.

The National Weather Service has issued a new Fire Weather Watch for Saturday into Sunday for a large portion of Southern California. Santa Ana winds will develop during the morning hours on Saturday and will become very gusty as we head into the early morning on Sunday.

Fire Weather Watches are the step before Red Flag Warnings.

The strongest gusts will be mainly confined to the area mountains, with gusts potentially in the 40 to 50+ mph range.

Hundreds of animals are being cared for by humane groups in Southern California as this week’s fast-moving wildfires continue to displace residents. 

“This is clearly not something that will be resolved in a day, a week,” said Ana Bustilloz, director of communications and marketing at the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Los Angeles, or spcaLA, a local animal welfare organization. “We’re at the ready to assist.”

From cats and dogs to horses, birds and tortoises, several rescue groups are hosting a menagerie of animals while the blazes hopscotch throughout the Los Angeles area. Some pets are staying as temporary boarders while the humans in their households stay in evacuation centers, hotels or other places that don’t allow pets. Other animals are receiving treatment for injuries.

Read the full story here.

Hundreds of goats in Brentwood were evacuated as the Palisades Fire poses a threat to homes in the area.

The herd of goats was rounded up on a trailer and released to escape the flames.