How contained are the Los Angeles fires? See the latest on efforts to control Palisades, Eaton and more fires
As fires rage in Southern California, firefighters are working to get the blazes — which include the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires — under control. The wildfires, spread by strong Santa Ana winds, are still going and have burned homes and businesses and caused more than 200,000 evacuations throughout the region.
Here's the latest on containment for the fires burning across Southern California.
Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire
The two largest fires have burned thousands of acres in L.A. neighborhoods since last week. The Palisades Fire began at around 10:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday, Jan. 7, burning on the west side of Los Angeles County, including the Pacific Palisades and Malibu.
The deadly Eaton fire, which began around 6 p.m. local time the same day, has caused extensive damage in the Angeles National Forest, Altadena and Pasadena.
Auto, Kenneth, Hurst, Woodley, Lidia, Sunset and Tyler fires
Several smaller blazes also burned across the Los Angeles area, but most of them have been contained.
The Hurst fire broke out in the Sylmar neighborhood of Los Angeles the night of Jan. 7, while other smaller fires broke out in the days that followed. The Woodley fire started burning early Wednesday, Jan. 8, near the Sepulveda Basin.
Flames that erupted Jan. 8 in the Antelope Valley between the San Gabriel Mountains and the Sierra Pelona Mountains became known as the Lidia fire.
The Sunset fire erupted that same evening in the Hollywood Hills near the Hollywood Bowl and Hollywood Walk of Fame, which prompted a new round of mandatory evacuations.
The Kenneth fire ignited in West Hills on Thursday, Jan. 9, and was being investigated as a potential arson. A second fire, the Auto Fire, sparked in Ventura on Jan. 13. Its forward progress has been stopped and it didn't threaten any homes, according to the City of Oxnard.
Meanwhile, concerns over new fires sparking continued into the second week of the year as Santa Ana winds returned to still-dry Southern California.
What does percent contained mean for a fire?
The National Wildfire Coordinating Group defines wildfire containment as when a wildfire has been suppressed and a "control line" has been dug up around the fire, which can stop the fire from spreading. Officials use the term percentage to measure the line of containment around a wildfire.
Containment does not mean the fire is put out — it could still potentially burn for weeks or months within the contained area.
How is fire containment calculated?
Containment is calculated as a percentage in reference to the entire perimeter of the fire. For example, if officials state that a fire is 25% contained, it means barriers or a line has been dug around 25% of the fire's perimeter. The term "containment" isn't used until officials are confident that the fire won't grow outside that section of the perimeter, according to RedZone, a software company that specializes in wildfire data.
