The Latest

• What caused the L.A. fires? LAist’s Emily Guerin explains what's known so far and talks to two veteran wildfire investigators about the steps being taken to determine how the fires started.
• Southern California’s housing crisis got immediately worse with the loss of thousands of homes in the Palisades and Eaton fires. LAist’s David Wagner examines the now supercharged search for immediate new housing as displaced families seek some stability.
• CalMatters photographers captured the devastation as fierce Santa Ana winds and bone-dry conditions propelled multiple wildfires across Los Angeles County.

• KCRW’s Megan Jamerson spoke with longtime residents of Altadena’s history Black community about catastrophic home loss, their determination to rebuild, and how they’re organizing to preserve the community writ large. LAist’s Erin Stone and Cato Hernández also look at how neighbors are grappling with grief and uncertainty there.

  
  

Looking Ahead

• As fires rage through Southern California and exacerbate the state’s insurance crisis, the California Senate has no one in charge of its Insurance Committee due to questions surrounding a federal corruption investigation. (CalMatters)

Fact Check

• What is a 'PDS' — the most extreme fire weather warning that's issued again for Tuesday and Wednesday (LAist)

• As fires ravage the LA region, so too are conspiracy theories and misinformation (LAist)

  
  

Resources & Ways to Help

• KCRW’s guide to finding help and being a helper is updated daily as a clear, centralized hub of resources divided into sections and needs for those impacted by the wildfires, those looking for ways to help, and general information and preparedness. (KCRW)

• The LAist newsroom is answering your questions about the fires (LAist)

• Cheat sheet: Everything LA residents need to know about water advisories (LAist)

• LA Wildfires: How to help from afar (PBS SoCal)

• Wildfire Public Health Information Panel for Families on Wednesday, January 15 at 7 p.m. on Zoom. How trustworthy is AQI (Air Quality Index)? What is PM2.5? And at what distance does fire zone adjacency stop mattering? Is there a reliable way to test the safety of your water? Are kids safe indoors at school without masks? (KCRW)

• Are you one of the millions of people who downloaded the wildfire tracking app Watch Duty this week? (New York Times)

  • Listen to or read more about how the app works and its contributors in this September NPR story.

  • Download: View the app in your browser, or download it on Google Play or Apple’s App Store.

Moment of Zen/Mental Health

• Altadena is home to a wonderful and thriving community of musicians that has been deeply impacted by the Eaton Fire. This reel from KCRW captures some of the voices from that community that make Los Angeles so special. Visit kcrw.com/firehelp for a mutual aid directory of artists and music workers affected by the wildfires, plus resources for those in need.

  
  

Elsewhere on the Internet

• How to protect your dog from wildfire smoke and poor air quality (Rover)