Up-close footage shows Los Angeles Fire Dept. crew battling fatal RV fire

Crews quickly knocked down a recreational vehicle fire in Van Nuys on Saturday afternoon, with up-close footage capturing the raging flames that turned out to be fatal. It happened around 1:16 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department, and the RV was parked along a curb in an industrial area at 13400 W. Raymer St. LAFD crews arrived to find the RV fully ablaze. Footage provided by multiple Citizen app users showed that the thick plume of black smoke could be seen from hundreds of yards away, whereas video from people mere feet away showed the intense battle between firefighters and flame.

KTLA5

Granada Hills and Porter Ranch residents face water outages due to repair work

Residents in Granada Hills and Porter Ranch lined up Wednesday to receive free bottled water after thousands were told they would face water service disruptions due to utility equipment repairs. The water service outage comes during one of the warmest stretches of the year in Southern California, where temperatures are soaring well into the 90s this week. The city has pre-deployed firefighters, fire trucks and water tankers in the impacted area so any kind of emergency can be quickly handled, Mayor Karen Bass said.

NBC4/LAFD

Shooting at residential day care in Granada Hills leaves 2 women hospitalized, LAFD says

Two women were taken to a hospital Tuesday afternoon after a shooting at a residential day care in Granada Hills, officials said. No children were injured. The shooting was reported shortly after 12:35 p.m. at Kids Dream Learning Center, which is located in a two-story house in the 17000 block of Firma Court. The suspect fled and was taken into custody by Los Angeles Police Department officers near the intersection of Balboa Boulevard and Vanowen Street, about 7 miles south of the scene, according to the LAPD. The person in custody was not immediately identified. Video from the scene showed paramedics placing two women, who were on gurneys, into ambulances before taking them to a hospital.

ABC7

Firefighters rescue man trapped in shaft for hours after 40-foot fall in downtown LA

Firefighters in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday morning rescued a man who was trapped for several hours in a vertical shaft after falling about 40 feet, officials said. The rescue operation was conducted on the side of a building in the 200 block of West Ninth Street, between Hills Street and Broadway. Video from AIR7 showed Los Angeles Fire Department personnel climbing step ladders to reach the top of the confined space. The trapped man, described only as 39 years old, was placed on a rescue basket stretcher attached to an aerial ladder.

ABC7

L.A. fires led to more than 400 additional deaths, study finds

The fires that ravaged Los Angeles at the beginning of this year took 31 lives by the official count, but new research estimates there were hundreds more deaths that are attributable to the disaster. In the study, published in the medical journal JAMA on Wednesday, researchers analyzed data on the number of deaths in Los Angeles County from Jan. 5 to Feb. 1, 2025 — the period when the Palisades and Eaton fires tore though the city — and estimated that 440 more deaths could be attributed to the fires, compared to the expected number based on data from previous years. These estimates put "the real burden far above the official toll," lead author Andrew Stokes told CBS News Los Angeles.

CBS/KCAL

After fires and a tsunami, a push to force L.A. to finally analyze evacuation routes

After an investigation by The Times found Los Angeles had failed to publicly comply with a 2019 law requiring it to analyze the capacity, safety and viability of its evacuation routes, Councilmember Traci Park filed a motion that would force the city to comply. Park, who said the city has yet to provide satisfactory answers to her questions on evacuation planning, sees understanding evacuation capabilities as essential to Pacific Palisades’ recovery. “In the wake of this disaster in the Pacific Palisades, I don’t know how we have a single conversation about planning for the future that isn’t tied to public safety and evacuation routes and emergency preparedness,” she said.

LA Times

Electric skid steer fire forces evacuations, hazmat response in Northridge

A fire involving an electric skid steer loader prompted an hours-long hazmat response and forced evacuations in Northridge Friday morning. Los Angeles firefighters responded to the fire in the 18200 block of Napa Street shortly after 7:30 a.m. The hazmat team joined the operation when crews determined that the fire was burning in the battery compartment of the Lithium-Ion powered loader, the Los Angeles Fire Department stated in a news release.

KTLA5

LAFD Puts Out Fire at Boarded Up Apartment Building in Boyle Heights

A fire at a one-story, boarded-up building in Boyle Heights was knocked down in 19 minutes, the Los Angeles Fire Department said Friday. Fire crews were called at 10:51 p.m. Thursday to 209 N. Mathews St. and Michigan Avenue, where they encountered flames on the first floor, said LAFD spokeswoman Lyndsey Lantz.

MyNewsLA

Boarded-up House Catches Fire in Boyle Heights

Firefighters knocked down a blaze Sunday at a previously burned and boarded-up single-family home in Boyle Heights. The fire was reported at 3:52 p.m. Sunday at 209 N. Mathews St., just east of North Soto Street, where heavy flames were visible, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Crews worked to protect nearby structures and trees during the firefight. No injuries or occupants were reported, and knockdown was declared in 26 minutes. A total of 67 firefighters responded to the incident. As of late Monday afternoon, 52 remained on scene for an extended overhaul while the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety assessed the home’s structural integrity.

UFLAC/MyNewsLA

Firefighters Knock Down Outside Fire that Extended into Westlake Strip Mall

Firefighters Saturday knocked down an outside rubbish fire that extended into concealed spaces within a business at a one-story, L-shaped strip mall in Westlake, authorities said. Firefighters dispatched at 7:21 a.m. Saturday to 820 S. Alvarado Blvd. had the fire out within 31 minutes of their arrival, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported.

MyNewsLA

Popular L.A. brunch spot forced to close after sudden fire

Blu Jam Cafe’s Woodland Hills location has temporarily closed following a fire that caused significant damage to the restaurant’s kitchen and dining area. The fire broke out on the afternoon of Aug. 1 inside the cafe, which is located at 23311 W. Mulholland Drive, according to a statement from the Los Angeles Fire Department. Fire crews responded to reports of heavy smoke around 4:30 p.m., and additional companies were dispatched, including units from the Los Angeles County Fire Department. No injuries were reported, but damage to the business was described as extensive.

KTLA5

Photo by Greg Doyle

Swift Action by LAFD Halts 4-Acre Brush Fire in Sepulveda Basin, No Injuries Reported

On August 2nd, a brush fire ignited in the Sepulveda Basin, affecting approximately 1.5 acres of land before firefighters managed to prevent the blaze from spreading further. According to an alert by the Los Angeles Fire Department, the fire broke out at around 2:54 PM along the south side of Burbank Blvd, between the LA River and Woodley Trail. LAFD personnel, aided by helicopters, worked swiftly to protect the model airplane fields on the north side and to control traffic with assistance from CHP and DOT.

Hoodline

Brush fire near Dodger Stadium quickly contained by LAFD

A small brush fire broke out near the entrance to Dodger Stadium Wednesday morning, briefly sending smoke into the air and slowing traffic in the area. The blaze, which ignited near the intersection of Stadium Way and Vin Scully Avenue, burned through about a 100-by-100-foot patch of light brush and grass near the stadium’s parking lot. L.A. City Fire Department crews responded promptly with engine and ladder trucks, pulling hose lines to attack the flames. While the fire briefly spread to some nearby trees, including palm trees, firefighters quickly gained the upper hand. No helicopter support was requested, as ground crews contained the fire efficiently.

KTLA5

Firefighters stop forward progress of Monterey Fire burning in Montecito Heights

Firefighters stopped the forward progress of a brush fire burning in the Montecito Heights area on Saturday. It was first reported at around 7:50 p.m. in the Ernest E. Debs Regional park, located at 4235 N. Monterey Road, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Both ground and air response crews were dispatched to battle the blaze, which firefighters said was "burning uphill" in medium-to-heavy brush. They said that gusts of wind up to 15 miles per hour were helping drive the flames. At around 9 p.m., crews reported that the forward progress of the fire had been stopped.

CBS

Electrical fire in Metro subway tunnel pauses trains under MacArthur Park

Subway trains were paused on Sunday afternoon underneath the MacArthur Park area while crews worked to put out an electrical fire in one of the Metro tunnels, officials confirmed. The Los Angeles City Fire Department reported the fire at 1:32 p.m., sending crews into a subway tunnel between the 7th Street/Metro Center station and the Westlake/MacArthur Park station for reports of a small electrical fire. An alarm was also activated because of the flames, and LAFD said all ‘B’ (Red) and ‘D’ (Purple) line trains in the area were “safely stopped at remote station locations away from the incident.”

KTLA5

Photo by Callum Parry

LAFD Quickly Extinguishes Apartment Fire in Leimert Park; No Serious Injuries Reported

Early yesterday morning, firefighters successfully extinguished a blaze within a Leimert Park apartment building. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) reported that 37 fire personnel responded to a heavy fire in a ground-level unit at 4201 S 7th Avenue. It took them just 22 minutes to put out the flames.

Hoodline

Fireworks Spark Trash Fire at North Hills Homeless Encampment

Crews Monday morning worked to put out a smoldering fire believed to have been caused by fireworks in a homeless encampment in North Hills. The fire was reported at 7:36 a.m. in a vacant lot at 9230 N. Langdon Ave., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

MyNewsLA

Photo by Mark Lassman

LAFD Rapidly Contains Brush Fire in West Hills, Prevents Damage to Homes

Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) personnel responded to a brush fire in West Hills on Monday afternoon, with reports coming in at 02:43 PM of light vegetation ablaze on a hillside at 8956 N Megan Avenue. The initial alert indicated at least one home was in potential jeopardy from the one-tenth-acre fire, but thankfully, no injuries were reported and evacuations were not deemed necessary at the time, according to LAFD. Efforts to contain the wildfire included both ground and air responses, with first responders quickly on the scene. The blaze grew to occupy approximately an acre and posed a threat to four homes, resulting in minor damage to two structures before firefighters could gain control.

Hoodline

One Person Injured, Cat Saved in Northridge House Fire

Flames outside a Northridge house Saturday spread into the attic, leading firefighters to rescue a cat and treat one human case of smoke inhalation. The fire was reported at 1:57 p.m. Saturday at 19036 W. Community St., just northwest of Roscoe Boulevard and the San Diego (405) Freeway, according to Los Angeles Fire Department spokeswoman Lyndsey Lantz. Smoke was showing from the single-story house when firefighters arrived. They located the source outside the house, then put out flames that spread into the attic, authorities said. The process took 20 minutes. “One cat was rescued from the home and treated with oxygen on scene by paramedics,” Lantz said. A 19-year-old woman was treated at the scene for minor smoke inhalation.

MyNewsLA

LAFD Extinguishes Row of Downtown Commercial Buildings

Firefighters made fast work of a blaze in a two-story row of commercial buildings in downtown Los Angeles Monday morning. The fire was reported at 5:54 a.m. at 218 E. Olympic Blvd., according to Lyndsey Lantz of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The first arriving crews found heavy smoke coming from the buildings. They put out the fire in 20 minutes with no injuries reported, Lantz said.

MyNewsLA

9-year-old boy on electric scooter killed in Koreatown crash with DUI suspect driving RV

The driver of an RV was arrested Thursday night on suspicion of driving under the influence following a crash that killed a boy on an electric scooter in Koreatown, authorities said. The 9-year-old boy, identified as Nadir Gavarrete, was killed and his 19-year-old brother, a scooter passenger, was transported to a hospital, according to the LAFD. The 19-year-old was hospitalized in stable condition.

NBC4

Two people killed in Shadow Hills head-on collision, trapped in wreckage

A two-vehicle collision has left at least two people dead in Shadow Hills late Monday afternoon, officials confirmed. The Los Angeles Fire Department sent out an alert at 3:45 p.m. that crews were on the scene of the fatal crash on Wentworth Street, west of Wheatland Avenue. Upon arrival, LAFD found two people dead and still trapped in the wreckage.

KTLA5

1 killed, 4 hurt in multi-car crash in Elysian Valley

One person was killed and four others were hurt in a multi-car crash Saturday in the Elysian Valley, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The incident was reported around 12:30 p.m. on the 2400 block of Riverside Drive. There, three vehicles crashed. It’s unclear what caused the crash. A 30-year-old man died at the scene, LAFD said. His identity has not been released. Two people, a 69-year-old man and a 62-year-old woman, were critically hurt and hospitalized.

NBC4

Passenger ejected in deadly rollover crash in Granada Hills

A rollover crash in the Granada Hills neighborhood of Los Angeles left a passenger dead and the driver critically injured Monday night. The vehicle was traveling eastbound on Chatsworth Street near Lindley Avenue just after 9 p.m. when it crashed into the rear of an unoccupied parked car and a parked box truck, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed to KTLA. The car overturned as a result of the crash. An unidentified passenger was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene, the spokesperson said.

KTLA5

2 dead, 6 wounded in ‘senseless’ mass shooting at warehouse party in downtown L.A.

Two people were killed and six others were wounded at a warehouse party in downtown Los Angeles early Monday, the latest incident to turn violent stemming from unsanctioned gatherings in the area, authorities said. About 11 p.m. Sunday, a “big party” was shut down at a warehouse in the 1100 block of 14th Place after officers saw a person possibly armed with a gun go inside, said Los Angeles Police Officer Norma Eisenman. That person was arrested at the scene, she said. But about two hours later, at 1 a.m. Monday, officers were summoned to the area again after reports of gunfire, Eisenman said. Police said someone opened fire outside the warehouse and responding officers found eight people shot.

LA Times

Photo by Callum Parry

4 people in Beverly Grove rescued from car after crashing into tree

Four people were rescued from a car after it crashed into a tree and burst into flames in Beverly Grove Friday morning. The Los Angeles Police Department said they received a call around 2:30 a.m. about a crash near Beverly Boulevard and North Crescent Heights Boulevard. When officers arrived, they found a car that had crashed into a tree, engulfed in flames. Firefighters from the Los Angeles Fire Department were called to the scene to help extricate the driver and passengers. According to the LAPD, it took firefighters over an hour to free the driver from the car. One person was taken to the hospital in critical condition, while the other three were in stable condition.

CBS

Firefighters free woman stuck in chimney in San Fernando

Firefighters freed a 30-year-old woman who got stuck in a chimney at a park in San Fernando on Tuesday. The Los Angeles Fire Department received a call for the rescue at about 8 p.m. on the 200 block of North Park Avenue. There, firefighters hoisted a woman who was trapped in the chimney of a building at a public park. Community members said they recognized her as an unhoused woman who frequents the area. Witness said prior to her getting stuck, the woman appeared to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

NBC4

Injured hiker, 90, rescued from Brentwood trail

The Los Angeles Fire Department rescued a hiker from Mandeville Canyon Friday afternoon after falling ill on hiking trail. Fire crews responded to the 12700 block of Charon Road near Brentwood around 1:35 p.m., for a report of a 90-year-old man who was unable to continue on a hike. LAFD officials said a paramedic was lowered down to the hiker, who was stuck in a hard-to-access trail. Crews then initiated a hoist rescue to lift the injured hiker to safety, at which point a helicopter was set to take him to a local hospital for “continued treatment and evaluation.”

KTLA5

Window washer rescued after getting stuck on downtown Los Angeles high-rise

Firefighters rescued a window washer who was trapped several stories high on the side of a downtown Los Angeles high-rise apartment building on Tuesday afternoon. Crews were sent to the building, located in the 400 block of S. Olive Street after learning that the washer's basket was crooked and unable to be realigned due to technical issues, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The window washer, who was uninjured in the ordeal, was trapped about seven stories up for more than an hour before firefighters were able to equip him with a harness and raise a hook and ladder to the lopsided basket. After he was secured, the man was able to climb down the ladder to safety.

CBS

Photo by Greg Doyle

LAFD Conducts Technical Rescue, Woman Safely Retrieved from Tujunga Wash in Valley Glen

A woman was transferred to a local hospital today after being rescued from a precarious situation in Valley Glen's Tujunga Wash, a tributary of the LA River. The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was called to 13500 W Sherman Way at 10:58AM to perform a technical rescue operation involving a 32-year-old female (LAFD Alert INC#0622). The LAFD deployed their specialized technical rescue team to carefully to extricate the patient, who was found in fair to serious condition following a considerable fall. Operations included the use of a basket, which was lowered from an aerial ladder through a series of ropes and pulleys to reach the injured woman. The technical finesse of the firefighters was instrumental in ensuring the woman was lifted to safety without further injury.

Hoodline

LAFD airlifts severely injured hiker from remote area near Eagle Rock

Rescue crews hoisted an injured hiker to safety on Saturday morning after she suffered what officials described as a serious leg or ankle injury in a remote section of Scholl Canyon Fire Road near the Eagle Rock and Glendale border. Because of the difficult terrain and the severity of her injuries, the Los Angeles Fire Department deployed two rescue helicopters. A flight paramedic was lowered to the scene to assess and stabilize the woman before both were hoisted into a helicopter for continuing in-flight care during direct air transport to an area hospital.

KTLA5

Man Rescued from Metro Tracks in Los Angeles; Red Line Service Temporarily Suspended

A man was safely extracted after becoming trapped on the tracks of the Red Line metro near 632 S Alvarado St yesterday evening, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. The LAFD was called to the scene at approximately 9:13 PM, as reported in an alert. In coordination with the Rail Operation Center (ROC), LAFD crews worked to de-energize the third rail in order to safely remove the individual, a 50-year-old male who was in an unspecified condition at the time of the incident. The rescue efforts were documented in detail in LAFD's official update.

Hoodline

Investigation underway after car crashes into Arlington Heights apartment complex

Firefighters said that the driver was injured but did not require hospitalization following the crash.

CBS

LAFD firefighters rescue canyon hiker along Beverly Crest trail

The Los Angeles Fire Department rescued a hiker that fell down a hill of a canyon trail in Beverly Crest.

CBS

Hiker Injured in Remote Area of Tarzana Hiking Trail

A 65-year-old man was listed in fair condition Sunday after suffering an injury while hiking in a remote trail in Tarzana, authorities said. Firefighters and paramedics were dispatched at 9:24 a.m. Sunday to the area of Avenida Oriente, which is near a remote part of the Caballero Canyon hiking trail, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. Air and ground resources coordinated a hoist operation and transported the hiker to a hospital.

MyNewsLA

Hiker Rescued in Runyon Canyon by LAFD

On Sunday, August 3, the Los Angeles Fire Department had to assist with rescuing a hiker. The incident was reported at 1:04 p.m. on Runyon Canyon Road. LAFD ground and air resources are coordinating to aid a 41M hiker with an isolated extremity injury — patient will be airlifted from a remote trail area and transported directly to a local hospital.

Canyon News

Massive central California wildfire keeps growing and becomes state’s largest blaze of the year

Rising temperatures on Wednesday posed new challenges for firefighters who have made incremental progress against a massive wildfire in central California that injured four people as it became the biggest blaze in the state so far this year. More than 870 remote homes and other structures at the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest are threatened by the Gifford Fire, which grew only slightly overnight after burning out of control for days. The fire has scorched at least 131 square miles (339 square kilometers) of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with just 9% containment. It surpassed the 126-square mile (326-square-kilometer) Madre Fire, which erupted last month in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, as the state’s largest fire of 2025.

AP

California is on pace for worst wildfire year in recent memory, due mostly to SoCal blazes

More than halfway through the year, California is currently on pace to have more fires and burn significantly more acreage than it did last year, with a weekend blaze in the rugged Central California mountains posing the latest challenge for firefighters. As of mid-July, California has seen more than 220,000 acres burn this year, almost 100,000 acres more than the state had seen on average at this point in the year over the last five years, according to statistics from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection that include data from both state and federal lands. That total doesn’t yet include the 65,000 acres burned in the Gifford fire, which ignited Friday in a rural, mountainous stretch across the Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo county line and continues to grow.

LA Times

Cal Fire adds 2 helicopters to its aerial firefighting fleet

Cal Fire is adding to its aerial firefighting fleet, with two more Firehawk helicopters, Gov. Gavin Newsom and agency officials announced Thursday. The two additional Sikorsky S-70i Firehawk helicopters brings Cal Fire's fleet to 16, the agency said, adding that it now owns the world’s largest fleet of the "purpose-built, mission-specific helicopters." The Firehawks are designed to help Cal Fire meet year-round challenges in battling wildfires across California as well as rapid response to all manner of emergencies, the agency said.

NBC

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

We can all help prevent suicide. The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals in the United States.

988

Events

Memorial Service for LAFD Firefighter/Paramedic Christian Gassler

A public memorial service and celebration of life was held for Los Angeles Fire Department Firefighter/Paramedic Christian Gassler at Cottonwood Church on July 25, 2025. Gassler, a widely respected 23-year veteran of the Department, died while off-duty on June 21, 2025. Assigned to the Firefighter Recovery Unit at the time of his passing, Christian commenced his storied LAFD career on February 4, 2002, following distinguished service as a U.S. Navy Corpsman assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps. While Christian served his nation and the people of Los Angeles with vigor, passion and excellence, he was most proud to be called a husband, a father and a friend.

LAFD

Fire Inspector I

Kevin A. Patrick

Deceased: 7/12/2025

Appointed: 5/13/1972

Assignment: Valley Public Assemblage

Retired: 8/16/1998

Firefighter III

Fred G. Miller

Deceased: 7/9/2025

Appointed: 7/24/1965

Assignment: FS 18

Retired: 5/19/1999

Captain I

Beaver Valenzuela

Deceased: 7/3/2025

Appointed: 2/27/1977

Assignment: FS 51

Retired: 2/16/2006

Captain I

Gustavo Perez

Deceased: 7/1/2025

Appointed: 5/15/1989

Assignment: Quality Assurance Unit

Retired: 1/31/2023

Firefighter III

Manuel A. Frausto

Deceased: 6/25/2025

Appointed: 2/16/1975

Assignment: FS 14

Retired: 4/16/2010

Fireman

Melvin R. Dodgion

Deceased: 6/22/2025

Appointed: 4/1/1957

Assignment: FS 16

Retired: 11/24/1980

ACTIVE DUTY

Firefighter/Paramedic

Christian Gassler

Deceased: 6/21/2025

Appointed: 2/4/2002

Assignment: FS 51

Engineer

David W. Stroud

Deceased: 6/20/2025

Appointed: 5/16/1977

Assignment: FS 77

Retired: 8/4/2012

Fireboat Mate

James D. Ross

Deceased: 6/19/2025

Appointed: 11/1/1956

Assignment: Fireboat Mate

Retired: 3/19/1998

Engineer

Robert Testerman

Deceased: 6/18/2025

Appointed: 1/29/1959

Assignment: FS 27

Retired: 1/5/1990

Captain I

Stephen N. Ordway

Deceased: 6/7/2025

Appointed: 3/10/1962

Assignment: FS 107

Retired: 7/19/1987

Engineer

Robert B. Hamilton

Deceased: 6/5/2025

Appointed: 2/9/1963

Assignment: FS 2

Retired: 10/13/1996