LOS ANGELES (KTNV) — Catastrophic wildfires are tearing through the communities of our neighbors to the west. Many of us here in the Las Vegas Valley have close ties to Southern California.
At least 27 deaths have been reported, dozens missing and thousands more evacuated from their homes. Crews are continuing their efforts to contain these deadly fires, to locate those that are missing and to assess the widespread damage.
Channel 13 anchor Joe Moeller is live in Southern California, bringing you the latest information we have and what people in our community are doing to help our western neighbors.

National
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FEMA and EPA response
Federal and local responders are taking steps to getting displaced Los Angeles residents into their homes or recover what they have lost — but there's still much left to be done, and the fires are still not fully contained.
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Pacific Palisades
Joe joins us live at the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, where more than 23,000 acres have burned as a result of the Palisades Fire. As of Thursday, the fire is only contained at 22%.
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Evacuees
Evacuees tell Joe how the wildfires have impacted them, and Joe shows resources that displaced locals in Los Angeles can access to find help.
Some residents returning
Officials began reopening some areas on Thursday for residents to return and begin the process of rebuilding.
For many, they are starting that process from scratch, trying to figure out what to do next.
One Las Vegas company is stepping in to help residents rebuild.
Death toll and missing persons
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As of Friday morning, the death toll has reached 27 people, and dozens are still missing.
'So-Cal Strong'
In light of this tragedy, people are really coming together to help those affected, and those stories are being highlighted during Good Morning America's "So-Cal Strong" coverage Friday morning. Joe spoke with Ginger Zee ahead of that special broadcast.
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Previous wildfires
Wildfires have caused major damage over the years in Southern California. As a SoCal native himself, Joe reflects on the previous incidents that have affected the region and the impacts the current ones will have.
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Destroyed structures
Crews spoke with Joe on how they are working to assess the damage in Altadena. Tens of thousands of acres have burned amid the continued spread of fires throughout Los Angeles.
"So at this point in time [Jan. 14], there's close to 3,000 [structures], just under 3,000 that have been verified as being destroyed," a public information officer told Joe. "We know that we need to search approximately 7,000 of them."
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Wind concern
Officials are saying wind has been main factor fueling the deadly wildfires. When then fires first broke out on Jan. 7, the National Weather Service issued a rare Particularly Dangerous Situation (PDS) alert. Another one was issued for the second week of these fires but has since expired.
Channel 13 Meteorologist Linh Troung joins Joe to explain the implications of a PDS, and how it shows a heightened risk of more dangerous fires.
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Inspecting the damage
Tens of thousands of acres burned and even more evacuated. Cal Fire Captain Shawn Arnold walks us through the process of how emergency crews are assessing the widespread damage in Altadena.
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Altadena
We start our coverage in Altadena, California — where more than 14,000 acres have burned from the deadly Eaton Fire. Joe shows us the impact of the fires on the area.
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