our neighbourhood and our neighbours have been eviscerated. it's really devastating to see generations of people's lives and livelihoods completely wiped out. as firefighters struggle to contain the blaze, strong winds forecast for saturday and sunday could whip up flames further. president biden has called it a "war scene". rachel reeves has become the most senior official from the uk to visit china for seven years — announcing trade agreements worth £600 million. a french woman whose father was convicted last month in a mass rape trial, tells the bbc he should never be released from jail. i was so close to my father. you can't imagine how hurt i felt. it is... it was a nightmare. america's top court appears

poised to uphold a law that bans tiktok over national security concerns, unless its chinese parent company sells the platform. and in sport, everton appoint david moyes as manager for the second time. hello. let's start in los angeles, where we're expecting a news conference to update us with the latest developments on the los angeles fires. this is what we know at the moment. at least 11 people are now known to have been killed. 12,000 homes and structures have been destroyed. an evacuation order for the palisades fire — which has burned more than 20,000 acres — has been expanded. it now includes the suburbs of brentwood and encinoas, and the area which includes the getty museum. at least six fires are currently burning. wind speeds are forecast to increase again, which won't help the situation at all. president biden has likened the

destruction to "a war scene". the smoke has led authorities to declare a public health emergency for the entire los angeles area. residents are advised to stay indoors, keep windows and doors shut, and wear a mask if venturing outside in smoky conditions. meanwhile, state governor gavin newsom has ordered an independent inquiry into why some fire hydrants ran dry, hampering the emergency response. let's the emergency response. take you to la where we have let's take you to la where we have more updates. apologies, we are just trying to figure out an issue with the sound. we think may be our pictures are frozen as well. we will come back to that as soon as we get it. the palisades fire which was 8% contained, firefighters saying it is now 11% contained.

let's return to that news conference. i let's return to that news conference.— let's return to that news conference. i would like to share some _ conference. i would like to share some important - share some important announcements about the county �*s emergency alert system. the alerts that have been going out in error. late yesterday afternoon we distributed a press release that detailed some of the immediate improvements that are now taking place. copies of this press release are available at the front of the room. first, we have made an initial determination that the erroneous alert that went out the first time on thursday... it was indeed correctly... apologies, we still seem to be having issues with the sound. they were talking about those emergency alerts that went out by mistake on thursday to the whole of los angeles. let's hear from our reporter helena humphrey. she has the latest on

how people have been dealing with the fires. no, we will go back to the news conference. changing our alert and notification system to partner with the california governor's office of emergency services and the state of alert and warning centre. the county �*s emergency operations centre is already tied in with the states operations centre and can actively issue emergency notifications in coordination with the state utilising the state system. second, on the issue of the echo alerts that continue to go out countywide yesterday after the first erroneous alert was corrected. we have been working tirelessly with the fcc, the state and our region's telecommunications providers and we have made the preliminary determination that

the echo alerts happened as cell towers came back online after they were knocked off—line due to this disaster. the outdated alerts were cached in the system and as they came back online, started being released to the public. we are very grateful to our federal and state partners who are working with the cell phone providers to make sure that all of these outdated alerts are flushed from the cell phone towers, so that this ceases. we believe this process is largely complete and we are working with our federal partners and the providers to ensure that there is not a re—occurrence of there is not a re—occurrence of the alerts going out in error. this has been frustrating, unacceptable and the public is in the most need of accurate information, and we are moving forward rapidly to re—establish that. finally, the press release spells out some of the immediate improvements that we

are concurrently making to establish a more robust, multilayered notification system. we are enhancing a core network to respond to the public�*s urgent need for information. technology can be great. these emergency alerts help us evacuate hundreds of thousands of people and immediate life safety measures. we have undoubtedly saved lives about the last couple of days have also reminded us that technology is vulnerable to the impacts of a disaster. especially unprecedented ones. so i will close by reminding everyone, please, for your safety, the safety of your family and friends, to receive emergency alerts, you can sign up emergency alerts, you can sign up for our local programme which will be utilised by the state by going to alert la county. these are customised alerts, they are different from

the wireless emergency alert. when you sign up, you can put land lines, your cell phone, you could receive texts and e—mail messages. go to la county .gov to sign up for alert la county. with that, i thank you and i will introduce fire chief anthony maroney. good morning. iwill fire chief anthony maroney. good morning. i will be providing a fire update. the fight — providing a fire update. the fight is _ providing a fire update. the fight is now estimated to be 14.117 — fight is now estimated to be 14,117 acres, with 15% containment. with over 7000 structures damaged or destroyed. we have 2832 personnel assigned to the _ we have 2832 personnel assigned to the incident and it is

static_ to the incident and it is static at _ to the incident and it is static at this time. elevated to critical fire weather conditions are predicted to continue through wednesday. moderate to locally strong santa _ moderate to locally strong santa ana winds will affect los angeles — santa ana winds will affect los angeles county and today, tomorrow and then again on monday— tomorrow and then again on monday through wednesday. la county — monday through wednesday. la county fire will be prepared. these — county fire will be prepared. these wins, combined with the dry air— these wins, combined with the dry air and _ these wins, combined with the dry airand dry these wins, combined with the dry air and dry vegetation will keep— dry air and dry vegetation will keep the _ dry air and dry vegetation will keep the fire threat in los angeles county high. i would like to— angeles county high. i would like to take this moment to express— like to take this moment to express my gratitude to board chair— express my gratitude to board chair supervisor catherine barber, _ chair supervisor catherine barber, but also to all of the boards — barber, but also to all of the boards of— barber, but also to all of the boards of supervisors for their sunpert— boards of supervisors for their support of my personnel on my department and me as a department and me as a department head and fire chief. to our—

department head and fire chief. to our first _ department head and fire chief. to our first responders battling these wildfires from the air— battling these wildfires from the air and battling these wildfires from the airand ground, battling these wildfires from the air and ground, we recognise and commend their tireless— recognise and commend their tireless dedication in protecting residents and properties, and finally, to our residents _ properties, and finally, to our residents. please rest assured that we — residents. please rest assured that we will continue to battle with these wildfires until they are fully— with these wildfires until they are fully contained. we stand alongside all of you as we begin— alongside all of you as we begin to plan for the repopulation, the recovery and the rebuilding. iwould now like — the rebuilding. iwould now like to— the rebuilding. iwould now like to invite up todd hopkins, unified — like to invite up todd hopkins, unified icy— like to invite up todd hopkins, unified icy management team for the palisades incident. good morning. the palisades incident is now at 21,596 acres and 11% contained. it is being in unified command with the

incident management team to coordinating the efforts. ground crews and aerial assets work through the nights in the canyon area, creating containment lines and protecting structures, continuing a full suppression effort. approximately 100 engines were surged into that area for direct suppression efforts and for structured defence. six night flying helicopters were utilised all night and additional night flying resources were also ordered. it was an approximate 1000 acres in growth last night in the canyon area. early estimates from an aerial reconnaissance indicate approximately 5316 structures have been destroyed and what i want you to remember is structures does not mean homes. structures can be homes, outbuildings, automobiles or other types of things like sheds or outbuildings. damage

inspection teams have been in the field surveying properties as of this morning. it's confirmed for hundred and 26 homes have been destroyed. we still have over 105,000 citizens that have been evacuated, there is a fire weather watch being issued for the next 72 hours and tonight, there will be a community meeting at wes church at half past six tonight. the address for the meeting is five for 95 via brokers in westlake village. next, iwould like via brokers in westlake village. next, i would like to introduce la county sheriff robert luna.— introduce la county sheriff robert luna. ., ~ i. robert luna. thank you. good morning- _ robert luna. thank you. good morning. this _ robert luna. thank you. good morning. this morning - robert luna. thank you. good morning. this morning our - robert luna. thank you. good l morning. this morning our staff at the _ morning. this morning our staff at the los— morning. this morning our staff at the los angeles county sheriffs _ at the los angeles county sheriffs department has increased to approximately 700. we continuously bring people in. we continuously bring people in we — we continuously bring people in. we have shifted to 12 on, 12 off—

in. we have shifted to 12 on, 12 off shifts in patrol and we will continue to re—evaluate that — will continue to re—evaluate that as _ will continue to re—evaluate that as the needs come up, not 'ust that as the needs come up, not just in— that as the needs come up, not just in our— that as the needs come up, not just in ourarea that as the needs come up, not just in our area responsibility but the — just in our area responsibility but the entire county of los and — but the entire county of los and our— but the entire county of los and our partnered law enforcement agencies needs. just to— enforcement agencies needs. just to reiterate, our missions include — just to reiterate, our missions include hard road closures, traffic— include hard road closures, traffic control, points, roving security, _ traffic control, points, roving security, welfare checks, evacuations as needed at the request— evacuations as needed at the request of our partners at fire and from _ request of our partners at fire and from what i'm told, currently we are not performing any evacuations but that can change _ any evacuations but that can change at a minute's notice and were _ change at a minute's notice and were doing for essential service _ were doing for essential service escorts needs, like animal— service escorts needs, like animal recoveries, medications and things of that nature. i want — and things of that nature. i want to— and things of that nature. i want to take a couple of minutes to explain this so that hopefully everybody understands. and evacuation order— understands. and evacuation order first warning and i want to put— order first warning and i want to put this out to our community, some of them have been _ community, some of them have been significantly impacted and

we are — been significantly impacted and we are trying to have as much empathy— we are trying to have as much empathy as we possibly can, but safety _ empathy as we possibly can, but safety does come first. i would like to — safety does come first. i would like to reemphasise that an evacuation order is a mandatory directive — evacuation order is a mandatory directive for residents to leave _ directive for residents to leave the area immediately due to imminent danger. wildfire floods. — to imminent danger. wildfire floods, anything of that nature _ floods, anything of that nature. failure to heed our warnings _ nature. failure to heed our warnings can put individuals at risk and — warnings can put individuals at risk and potentially interfere with — risk and potentially interfere with emergency response efforts _ with emergency response efforts. you have heard me say at the — efforts. you have heard me say at the last— efforts. you have heard me say at the last couple of days, every _ at the last couple of days, every miraculous story of a rescue _ every miraculous story of a rescue or— every miraculous story of a rescue or a tragedy, the n1ajc>ritv_ rescue or a tragedy, the majority are people who did not heed _ majority are people who did not heed the — majority are people who did not heed the warning to leave all the order to leave. failure to heed — the order to leave. failure to heed these warnings, i already talked — heed these warnings, i already talked about that, evacuation warnings _ talked about that, evacuation warnings are precautionary alerts _ warnings are precautionary alerts informing residents that they should be prepared to evacuate as the situation may worsen, — evacuate as the situation may worsen, so you have to be ready

to g0~ _ worsen, so you have to be ready to g0~ a— worsen, so you have to be ready to g0~ a lot _ worsen, so you have to be ready to go. a lot of people coming irack— to go. a lot of people coming back saying, i need my medicine. please try and remember, and i know it is chaotic, _ remember, and i know it is chaotic, stressfuland remember, and i know it is chaotic, stressful and it's not easy, — chaotic, stressful and it's not easy, important paperwork, your medication, your pets, supplies for your— medication, your pets, supplies for your pets, have those things— for your pets, have those things ready to go. what it is not mandatory, it is strongly advised _ not mandatory, it is strongly advised to prepare to leave the area _ advised to prepare to leave the area to — advised to prepare to leave the area to make other arrangements. please understand the decisions to evacuate or issue — the decisions to evacuate or issue warnings are not made lightlv — issue warnings are not made lightlv i_ issue warnings are not made lightly. i have been a command post— lightly. i have been a command post or— lightly. i have been a command post or other venues where they are talked — post or other venues where they are talked about very seriously. 1527 00:14:36,322 -->