Man impersonating as a firefighter
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Officials give update on Los Angeles County fires
the latest on the fires burning in Los Angeles as fore crews race to gain containment.
LOS ANGELES - A man was arrested Saturday night in the area of the Palisades Fire who had been impersonating a firefighter, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Sunday morning during a press briefing.
"When I was out there in the Malibu area, I saw a gentleman that looked like a firefighter. And I asked him if he was okay because he was sitting down - I didn't realize we had him in handcuffs," Luna said.
He added that deputies had just caught the suspect burglarizing a home and were turning him over to the Los Angeles Police Department.
Fire-related arrests
That arrest was one of several that happened as several wildfires continued to burn across Southern California.
Luna said one person was arrested Saturday night in the Palisades area for curfew violation, and six people were arrested in the area of the Eaton Fire. Three of those were also for curfew violation, and the others were for various charges including drugs and weapons.
"The individuals that we’re contacting do not live in the areas where we're arresting them. We're finding out they have zero business being in these areas," Luna added.
"So I do want to reiterate to our communities, if you do not belong in these affected areas, do not go there. You are subject to arrest."
He said he believes about 29 arrests have been made in the days since the fire started, including 25 in the Eaton Fire area and 4 in the Palisades Fire area.
At least two people have been arrested in recent days on suspicion of trying to start other fires.
READ MORE: California Fires: Multiple people accused of arson as firestorm rages in LA
Fire curfews
Per the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, all evacuation order and warning areas for the Palisades and Eaton fires had been under a curfew order from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m.
"We have people driving up and around trying to get in just to look. Stay away," Luna said previously, urging people to abide by the curfews.
Officials on Saturday warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.
"If you’re kicking that stuff up, you’re breathing it in," said Chris Thomas, a spokesman for the unified incident command at the Palisades Fire who warned the material was "toxic."
Residents will be allowed to return with protective gear after damage teams evaluate their properties, Thomas said.
Officials fight against misinformation about SoCal wildfires
In addition to battling the Palisades and Eaton blazes, the California government is facing another firefight: one on misinformation.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna's public comments during a press briefing on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2025. Information about the arson arrests was taken from previous FOX 11 reporting. This story was reported from Detroit.