never seen that type of devastation. where literally block after block after block of houses that were there, you know, 48 hours ago, aren't there anymore. >> this is the worst case scenario. >> i don't even want to think of what god forbid, might be five people dead as fires burn out of control in southern california. >> and we want to take you to some live images right now of the scene in los angeles county, where we know five different fires are burning at this hour. you can see the thick smoke there in the distance. good afternoon. thanks for joining us. i'm julian glover and i'm stephanie sierra. >> those wildfires tearing through southern california as we speak, tens of thousands of acres burned and tens of thousands of people evacuated from their homes. >> we're seeing scenes of destruction practically everywhere. homes, businesses destroyed. but amid the devastation, we are hearing stories of resilience and of neighbors helping neighbors. it makes me want to cry. >> but it also, in the midst of

the dark hour, puts a little ray of love and hope. >> all the stuff that's here is replaceable. people are not so happy. the family is the most important thing. >> you see people using garden hoses, buckets, just trying to knock down those flames before they have to flee. >> now we have team coverage today with reporters in los angeles and here in the bay area. we'll also have the latest on those winds hampering containment efforts. >> but first, let's get you caught up on the big headlines of the day. so far, there are now five major wildfires burning in southern california. the largest is the palisades fire west of malibu. the deadliest is the eaton fire near pasadena, with five people killed so far. there's also the hurst fire near san fernando and the woodley fire that started this morning near van nuys, and the lydia fire east of santa clarita broke out around 2:00 pm this afternoon. aside from those five deaths, there are also several other injuries and the property damage there is extensive. combined, the fires have destroyed at

least 1100 buildings, many of them homes. the palisades fire has burned nearly 16,000 acres to the northeast. the eaton fire has ripped through over 10,000 acres in less than 24 hours. and there's the hurst fire, which is up by slimer. it's about 700 acres currently. sylmar. it's about 700 acres. one woman says the. she narrowly escaped the palisades fire as it erupted yesterday morning. >> we packed the packed, i mean, you know, shoved everything into the two cars and started heading down. that sense of eeriness was setting in because we could see open flames. i could see open flames in my backyard. and as we were driving down our street, there were a couple of front yards where embers had already landed and they were on fire. >> two other smaller wildfires in los angeles county have been contained, and the threat is far from over. >> today, there's real fear that these fires will continue to spread and jump. >> we know how easy that is with those embers there. abc seven news anchor karina nova joining us with some of

the scenes that we've seen there. karina just unbelievable. >> the damage it really is. earlier today, we saw the first aerial images of the devastation. you're seeing it behind me schools, churches, a grocery store, restaurants and many more businesses wiped out by the palisades fire. it just seems unfathomable. some evacuated residents have been able to return to burned areas, only to find out tragedy and devastation. >> honestly, everybody is just in shock right now. it's just complete devastation. >> everywhere you look. the images are tragic. home after home burned to the ground, some of the biggest damage tod, some property has been in pacific palisades, an affluent area between santa monica and malibu. expensive mansions one after another, torn apart by fire. there are about 7600 homes in pacific palisades. it's estimated 1000 of them have burned. about 40 homes were destroyed in the castle la mar neighborhood. residents tried desperately to put out the flames using buckets. one

neighbor scooped water from jacuzzis and pools to throw on the flames. >> i was bucketing out of my jacuzzi in a pool across the way at people's homes. i stopped a couple fires, and then it reignited about 430 this morning. and thank god i. i woke up at the perfect time and i got it and i stopped it from burning my house. and it's a tough, tough day today. >> many homes caught fire overnight. by mid-morning, some of the smoke had cleared and we got our first view from the sky of the devastation. some residents snuck into the fire zones and were calling neighbors to report what they are seeing. >> i'm talking to a neighbor who just lost his house. it's very just, you know, words can't describe what what the scene looks like. >> similar scenes are also playing out near pasadena. that's where firefighters are battling a second major wildfire, the deadly eden fire. the eden fire jumped more than a mile from the mountains into the

urban center of altadena. residents used whatever they could find to load up water and fight the flames. they were able to save some homes, but not all of them. >> it's just been constant wind, constant fire, and it's moved at a pace that we survived the bobcat fires a few years ago and i haven't seen anything move this fast. >> it looks like a bomb went off along lake avenue in altadena, an area filled with homes and businesses block after block, devastated. this is where a senior center burned to the ground after almost 100 residents were evacuated by ambulance overnight, seen leaving in wheelchairs and gurneys at nearby sierra madre canyon, the narrow roads made it difficult for fire trucks to reach burning homes. residents had no choice but to watch their homes burn. >> are you guys going to have to leave? no, i don't know that the house is going. >> there's no water. >> adding to the tragedy, many homeowners did not have fire insurance because their policies

were canceled by the insurance companies. >> we're left to do this on our own with hoses and just the neighbors coming together. >> and what do you make of the past 24 hours? >> i've already lost my own home. so i'm sorry. >> truly heartbreaking for residents in the fire zones there. and for many of us watching from afar, many hollywood personalities like mandy moore and ricki lake are sharing on social media, saying they've lost their homes. and some people say they're learning whether their home was destroyed or is still standing by watching the helicopter. video on the news. julianne. stephanie. >> all right. karina, thank you for that. yes, so much unknown at this point. take a look at the cal fire map here. the yellow zones are evacuation warnings. the red are where residents are told to evacuate immediately if they're not already gone. >> president joe biden is

calling on the pentagon to deliver wildfire help. he was briefed on that disaster today. the president was already in southern california for yesterday's national monument dedication. president biden has directed the nevada national guard to join the fire fight, and called upon the u.s. navy to bring in helicopters from san diego. and after that briefing with the president, governor gavin newsom headed out to tour the damage video right here of him walking along with cal fire in pacific palisades, you can see just the trail of destruction along sunset boulevard there. i mean, homes, businesses, completely gutted, building after building burned to the ground, many just a shell of what they once were. >> just unbelievable. and to give you some perspective on the scope of this disaster, take a look at this map. this is what the palisades fire burn area looked like around noon yesterday when we first learned it was spreading. now take a look at the fire's footprint today. you see, the perimeter has expanded dramatically as flames tear through tens of

thousands of acres. >> and we want to give you a look at some satellite imagery right here, where you can see the smoke and the fire and those winds, all of it grew overnight, the size and scope stunning, along with the unusual timing for january. >> abc7 news meteorologist sandhya patel is here with the latest on conditions. sandhya. >> yeah, and stephanie and julian. all the right conditions came together, which is why we've seen explosive and devastating wildfires in southern california. not only is it critically dry down there, you have the gusty, strong offshore wind event, the santa ana winds right now 46 miles an hour at malibu. you can see there mount lukens troc trail, 35 miles an hour, looking at some of those fires that are burning. palisades fire is now over 15,000 acres. we have the newest fire that has just broken out, the lidia fire as we take a look. the red flag warning is in effect as damaging santa ana winds will continue until 6 p.m. tomorrow. winds are expected to eventually drop off, but

until then, today, the risk of wildfire remains in the extreme category across the region. it is still a life threatening situation. winds will slowly back off, initially remaining gusty through the night and going into tomorrow morning. and then by tomorrow evening those winds really start to dial back as we head into late night hours. hopefully the crews can make some progress. julian. >> steph, we certainly hope so. sandhya, thank you so much. we want to take you to some more live pictures right now from southern california. we can see the raging fire continues. these deadly fires there in los angeles county. >> plus later, how you can prepare for a natural

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eight that my administration will work to fulfill every single day. but as coach said, lasting change doesn't happen overnight. it takes time. but if we are consistent, if we have vision, if we aren't afraid to make tough decisions, san francisco will rise to new heights. >> a new era for san francisco begins. daniel lurie is sworn in as the city's 46th mayor. lori took the oath of office at a ceremony outside city hall today. in his address, he outlined his top priorities for his first term. >> and we brought you that

coverage live on abc7 news midday live. abc seven news politics reporter monica madden was at the inauguration. and monica, what was the mood of the folks there attending? >> well, mayor lurie was optimistic while acknowledging the really big challenges he'll face in city hall. he's vowing to restore the sense of safety as the city faces a crisis on the streets with homelessness and drug usage, and he's hoping to help bring life back to a downtown still recovering from the pandemic. celebrations. in order. >> with pomp and circumstance fit for san francisco's new leader. >> that our flag was still there. >> state leaders and bay area icons joining the ceremony. >> leadership is about creating a vision for success. >> i, daniel lurie, do solemnly swear. >> under sunny skies, mayor daniel lurie says it's a new day in san francisco, vowing to tackle homelessness, improve city services and restore the

city's reputation. >> join me in reclaiming our place as the greatest city in the world. >> his promises come with a caveat lasting change doesn't happen overnight. >> it takes time. >> the nonprofit founder and levi strauss heir will immediately face tough decisions, with an estimated two year budget deficit just shy of $900 million. >> we need to stop spending more than we can afford. >> but lurie says there will not be any layoffs for first responders, with public safety as his top priority. >> we need to prioritize essential services and make the investments that are critical to getting san francisco up and running again. >> lurie making good on a campaign promise announcing a fentanyl state of emergency on day one. >> the san francisco police department and sheriff's department are rapidly shifting, shifting resources and personnel to bring drug dealers to justice and clean up our streets. >> the new mayor also wants a 24 over seven drop off center for police to take individuals who

refuse drug treatment. >> that is very much needed to expand those types of beds. >> we caught up with sfpd chief bill scott about these changes. >> i see his vision and i'm going to work to fulfill it. >> and no word yet on if chief bill scott will keep his job. mayor lurie has said that he's been meeting with all of the department heads to evaluate their leadership since he got elected. lori will be the fourth mayor that chief scott works under if he stays in the studio. monica madden, abc seven news. >> all right, monica, thank you. well, thousands turned out today to see daniel lurie be inaugurated. >> abc seven news reporter suzanne fine spoke to people to find out what they're hoping and wishing for. >> mayor daniel lurie has never held public office. >> hope is alive and well in san francisco. >> for many people, the new mayor brings renewed hope. >> we feel that he is the right person to turn this city around. >> we asked people at today's

inauguration what they're hoping to see personally, to be able to clean up the summer community, the downtown area, the unhoused population. >> we have to get to the root cause of homelessness. >> he is prioritizing the fentanyl emergency. that is the reason, as a recovering drug addict myself, that i sought a role on the board of supervisors two and a half years ago. >> jim martinez was excited to attend the inauguration in a shirt that clearly spells out the change he's hoping will come. >> i'm hoping that he will take. he will take care of the homeless. he'll take care of the economy. he'll take care of what needs to be done in the city of san francisco. >> the inauguration brought out people from all walks of life, people of all ages, many hoping for a bright future, good future and good care for all of my senior citizens. after the inauguration, many people headed inside city hall to share their wish for san francisco in a more personal way. linda parker pennington was the very first person to submit her thoughts. >> my wish was to eliminate, you

know, to provide housing for the unhoused, to eliminate drug dependency, to make this city streets clean and safe. >> what did you wish for? >> make san francisco better? >> what did you wish for? >> i wished for an intelligent, compassionate, hard working, good hearted leader to inspire all the people in san francisco to be kind to each other and to care for each other. >> wishes for a city that faces big challenges, but has renewed hope. with a new leader at the helm in san francisco, suzanne phan abc seven news. >> abc seven news insider phil matier joins us now with his analysis. phil, we've been talking about this throughout the day. what do you make of what mayor lurie wants to accomplish in his first 100 days in office? accountability was a word we heard over and over again. >> we did. and what he's going to probably do is he's going to open up a drop in center for to give the police the options of either taking somebody that's intoxicated on drugs to a drop

in center and get them help, or take them to jail and say, you have a choice. you can still go to the drop in center. so sort of more of a get tough policy. we'll see on the streets something that started under mayor london breed. but let's be honest here for a minute he was talking about we're going to see change immediately. but at the same time it's not going to happen overnight. i mean, that's, you know, that's your political pundit, you know, statement if there ever is one. yes, we're going to change, but it's going to take a lot of work. we'll get there. but it's not going to be easy. but you okay. it was right out of the phrase book. yes. >> well, we all know lurie was successful in framing himself as a political outsider during the campaign. and now that he's officially an insider, what do you think will be some of his toughest challenges to enact his policy goals? >> well, a couple of the things that are going to be tough is one, just financing everything. he's facing an $800 million budget deficit. that's not easy. today was the best day of his administration because everybody's happy. tomorrow he has to start saying no and yes

and no. and every time you say no, people get unhappy. so it's going to be tough. if he doesn't have the money, he's already said he's not cutting police, fire or emergency medical help or dispatchers. okay. then somebody else is going to have to bear the brunt of that. is it community services or nonprofits or other groups that are going to show up and say, why us? >> of course, it's lurie kind of finds his way around city hall. he'll have to make some allies with the board of supervisors. they're a new group, new bunch here. >> he already caught a break. got a break. a very much a moderate. was elected as board president. i don't see there's not going to be that left center push. you know what daniel lurie really needs to do out of the gate is get out of city hall and out onto the streets and be seen by people, go places, be photographed, be part of and inject an energy. if city hall becomes a think tank of policies and long term solutions, that's okay. but that's not what you're going to sell the public. you got to get out there. san francisco is on the rebound.

it's moving in the right direction. he's not just the mayor and the ceo. he's the chief salesman of the city. now he's got to get out and sell it. that's going to be a challenge for him because he's just not naturally that kind of a gregarious guy on the stump. right. >> well, the inauguration isn't the end of the events today. as you know, the mayor started early this morning and has more events tonight. >> that's right. and there in chinatown, a key demographic in the city, a growing voter bloc, and one where he could use some help. so this is a your your standard inauguration. lots of celebration, lots of bowing to the various communities, recognizing them, lots of promises, but lots of caution too, saying it's going to take a while. so here we go on a new chapter in san francisco. okay. >> we appreciate it. phil, thank you so much. well, we will be right back with a look at the forecast and our continuing coverage. >> we actually have this story really quick. julian, a former east bay congresswoman, barbara lee, is making it official. she's running to be oakland's next mayor. >> this is our moment. >> this is our movement.

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in northern california. >> yeah. that's right. abc7 news meteorologist sandhya patel is tracking the very latest. >> yeah. and stephanie and julian, you know, to get a dry spell in the middle of january is not uncommon here in the bay area. so let me show you a live picture from our exploratorium camera. seeing a lot of sun. as you will notice, looking at san francisco. so the winds have really backed off. but those wind gusts here in the bay area have been anywhere between 50 to 84 miles an hour in the last 12 hours. looking at our local winds at the lower elevations, look at how much calmer it is right now. rio vista reporting calm winds. turning your attention now to the wildfires in southern california. visible satellite pictures showing you the smoke from the palisades fire and the other fires burning, continuing to get pushed out over the ocean by those downsloping winds. they do have air quality alerts up for much of southern california, as they are seeing air quality

being impacted by the wildfires, the reds indicating unhealthy air there. so the setup is area of low pressure is moving in towards toward to our southeast. excuse me. high pressure is still overhead and we're still being squeezed by this. so down in southern california, those santa ana winds are going to continue a little bit longer. and by tomorrow evening the red flag warning will expire. right now from sfo. notice the wind isn't blowing things around low to mid 60s from san francisco to oakland. currently close to 70. in san jose 67, redwood city 59.5 moon bay and it is blue sky from san jose. well above average. santa rosa 69 degrees low 60s. napa fairfield 65, concord 63. livermore. from our mount tam cam, you are seeing a hazy view right now. tomorrow, mild to warm. possibility of records still above average for the weekend and early next week. our dry pattern continuing. so we go hour by hour and those temperatures will remain in the comfort zone at 715. still in the 50s as

we head towards the late night hours, dropping to the 40s and 50s. this computer model is hinting that the humidity will recover tomorrow morning, which would mean the potential for some patchy fog. i'm not sure i buy it completely, but as we head into the afternoon hours, do look for another mild one with many 60s and a few 70s for the evening hours. temperatures will drop once again first thing tomorrow morning. you're looking at primarily 40s, a few 30s around our wind sheltered locations like livermore, morgan hill, up around lakeport and ukiah. looking at your afternoon highs low 60s to the low 70s. it's going to be wall to wall sunshine. and a look at the accuweather seven day forecast. records are possible tomorrow. temperatures are going to dial back a bit on friday and over the weekend, even though it's still going to be above average heading into next week. that dry pattern continuing, we don't see any rain in the accuweather seven day forecast, at least not for another seven days. julian and steph. >> all right so a calm stre.

yes thank you sandy appreciate it. well just ahead our coverage on the southern california wildfires continues the scenes of destruction all across los angeles county. >> and the local agencies now heading in to help. >> plus, the role climate change a team can help you plan for your dreams. so your dream car, and vacation home, may be closer than you think. ready to meet the dream team? you can with wells fargo. molly leaving was one thing. but then i thought mom's osteoporosis might keep us stuck on the couch. no way. ♪ if you have postmenopausal osteoporosis, and are at high risk for fracture, you can do more than just slow bone loss. you can build new bone in 12 months with evenity®.

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contained. >> all right, here's where things stand right now. just a short time ago. number of dead from the eaton fire went up to five people. we know that several other people are injured as well. now, the palisades fire is the largest and most destructive, burning nearly 16,000 acres and at least 1000 buildings. the eaton fire has burned over 10,000 acres and destroyed well over 100 structures, many of them homes in the sylmar area. the hurst fire has charred 700 acres and is forcing more evacuations. just a short time ago, the city of pasadena gave an update on the eaton fire. the city manager recounted the dangerous conditions first responders encountered last night. >> our first responders rushed to the scene. they found darkness. they found fire, and they found 80 mile per hour winds. air support was not possible under those conditions. our first responders did all they could under those brutal conditions to put out the

fire, putting their own lives at risk to save others. they battled through the night with more and more joining the fight. as the night wore on. our police officers went door to door, ensuring as many residents as possible were evacuated to safety. >> president biden did declare a disaster for the southern california wildfires. >> and as we've been showing you, the palisades fire is leaving behind a massive trail of destruction. yes. >> reporter cassandra gutierrez, from our sister station in fresno has made her way to la. she joins us live now from brentwood with a look at the situation. >> brentwood is the closest spot that we could get to we we had cell service to bring you guys this live shot. we are just within three miles east of where the palisades fire is burning. and let me tell you, it's still gusty. it's still windy. there's a somber feeling in this

community of brentwood. even neighboring the communities that have burned down. and we have traveled across sunset boulevard. and we saw some flames along both sides of the road closer to the pacific coast highway. we couldn't make it to the pacific coast highway, but some of the destruction we've been seeing through videos and live reports right here on abc seven, and we have been speaking to locals. we've been talking to people that fear for what's to come tonight. they've already seen the devastation rip through their town. the beloved palisades high school, where several hollywood films, including freaky friday was filmed at. several notable celebrities attended that high school. we've talked to people that grew up here. they have memories, some of their workplaces completely destroyed by the flames that charred through the area that burned last night into the early hours

this morning. currently still burning right now here in brentwood, you see the plume of smoke. we were in santa monica this morning. you could see the plume of smoke from miles and miles away. we are right at the edge of that evacuation warning the evacuation zone, and we are just to the west of ucla. the getty center is not too far from here. it's less than a mile away. but like i said, that is to the east of us and to the west of us along sunset boulevard. we do know, and because we have seen from earlier today that some of those homes are destroyed, and we have also seen people going back and watering their homes, making sure that they're doing that. they're doing everything they can to protect what they have. there's a lot of heartbreak in this community as the devastation, and we have heard early reports suggest that almost half or more than half, i should say, of pacific palisades, is leveled. this is where people grew up. it's

devastating, not only here, obviously across other fires burning in southern california right now. and you can feel and you could see these winds picking up. and what's worrisome is it doesn't stop here. it continues into our evening hours, into our overnight hours. and the fire warning still sticking around with those gusty winds gusting upwards of 60mph. last night i was in sylmar. we had winds that jolted me forward, jolted the community members. we couldn't really stand stable. but right here, these winds are a little bit calmer than what we saw last night. so what is concerning right now is that if that night these winds are anything like what we saw last night, that means these winds are going to be even gustier get even worse. so there's a lot of worry. and neighbors have told me a lot of anxiety in this community right now. we'll send it back to you guys in the studio for now. reporting live in brentwood. i'm cassandra gutierrez, abc seven

news. >> cassandra, truly heartbreaking. thank you for your reporting there. now we are getting a closer look at the devastation from our reporters at our sister station, kabc. >> we want to give you a look at some of the scenes from reporters rob mcmillan and josh haskell. >> i cannot explain the level of devastation that i just saw. my photographer and i are literally numb from driving sunset boulevard from chautauqua to pacific coast highway. i'm not overexaggerating. it feels like 50 to 75% of pacific palisades is gone. that is not an exaggeration. the amount of homes i mean, we heard a thousand structures this morning. it's definitely going to be way more than that. the whole business district pretty much is gone. ralphs supermarket gone, gelson's gone. all the starbucks on the corner, the italian restaurant i cannot explain. i never thought that i'd ever have to cover devastation like this. and the fact that it's my hometown and the fact that, like

institutions, pali high, the high school, my elementary school, badly damaged, village school gone, the library gone, corpus christi church gone. we just tried to get a signal up. we weren't able to. and the methodist church on via de la paz, which is such an institution in that town, completely on fire. we'll try and feed in some of that video later, but i just had to find a spot where we had a signal and share. and i know we have teams that have been there and they're on the way. it makes me think of lahaina. it makes me think of northern california, napa, those fires where you literally had lots of homes next to each other. blocks. >> we're on calaveras street and bit of a different situation than you were just hearing from what they're seeing on the helicopter. this is a street where, yes, this home, as you can see, it appears to be a total loss. flames still ripping

through the home. the only thing that's left really what appears is the chimney and the other brickwork in front of the house. the fire department is here. they're putting a lot of effort into what they can to keep the fire from spreading. but if you come this way, dave, look the other direction, it's a different situation because every other home on this street is just fine. >> several firefighting crews from the bay area and in southern california now are in southern california now trying to save homes. their strike teams from santa clara, san mateo and san francisco have all headed to los angeles. they'll be on the front lines facing those extreme weather conditions. >> this is what we train for, and we are trying to get there as quickly as possible to help our brothers and sisters in southern california in need. and the people. we have to remember that the mission of the fire service is to protect life, property and environment. and that's what we're going to go down there to do. >> the san francisco fire department sent 22 firefighters, more than a dozen local agencies sent crews to southern

california. >> and this is video from santa rosa this morning as crews left for los angeles. as abc, seven news reporter tim johns tells us, for many of those fire crews, the experience is a reminder of the past. >> there's fire everywhere. >> the devastation in doug hoffman's altadena neighborhood is unimaginable. on tuesday night, the sonoma county native says he saw the beginning of the so-called eaton fire erupt on the mountainside just behind his los angeles area home. >> we immediately started going door to door in the neighborhood, got everyone out of their homes, and by the time i finished the immediate neighborhood on my block, the entire mountain was completely covered in flames. >> luckily, hoffman and his family were able to evacuate to safety. he says this isn't the first time his family has had close encounters with devastating firestorms. back in 2017, his parents had to flee the tubbs fire. >> seeing a home burning in front of you, the heat that's generated from it and the sound of a home burning is something that is just otherworldly.

>> the fire is one of several currently burning in the los angeles area, the widespread chaos putting extreme strain on fire resources and experience that santa rosa fire marshal paul lowenthal says, reminds him of situations local fire crews faced back in 2017 and 2018. >> strike teams that were strategically staged in southern california in advance of this windstorm. and now we're seeing that surge of additional strike teams and task forces from northern california getting pushed to the south to help them out. >> lowenthal says two strike teams have already made their way down to la, and another task force will join them wednesday afternoon. that means a total of 15 local engines will be aiding in the firefighting effort. >> the winds have the potential to limit the air resources, where sometimes they're not only ineffective, but it could be unsafe, and it makes those ground resources that much more critical. >> lowenthal says at this point in time, fire crews focus is on saving lives. and with the fires nowhere being under control, hoffman is thankful for all the help they can get. >> these are the kinds of things

that we're going to have to prepare for and contend with these kind of mass devastation events in santa rosa. >> tim johns, abc seven news. >> still ahead here, how climate change is playing a role and the effects the fires could have on your insurance. plus, how can you prepare

showing the evacuations from those fires burning right now in southern california. it just really demonstrates how quickly you might have to drop everything and leave your home. abc seven news south bay reporter dustin dorsey explains what you could be doing right now to protect your family. >> the devastating southern california wildfires are not only heartbreaking, but an important reminder when a fire is raging, it doesn't take much time to go from this to this. a harsh reality felt by thousands forced to evacuate. >> there was a thought of like, well, i wonder if we'll have to evacuate. maybe we should, like, get the kids stuff ready just in case to. well, why don't we just put it in the car in case to. okay. where are we going to go? i mean, it is terrifying. it's devastating. >> there's no easy answer as to how people can live like this. but fire officials say the best way is to live with the mindset that this is possible across california. and we have to be ready. >> it's not if, it's when we'll have a wildfire somewhere in the state and we don't really have

a, you know, fire seasons anymore. it's a year round thing. so it's imperative that people stay vigilant and they are planning well ahead of time. >> for us in the bay area, that time is now. chelsea burkett with cal fire says having go bags ready has to be a way of life packed with items essential for survival during an evacuation, like water and food, medications, change of clothes, rechargeable batteries or solar chargers, and hard copies of important documents. these simple yet important things can make all the difference. >> some of them are to help you and your personal self and your family get through a couple of days without items that you are used to having, you know, at your fingertips in your home. some of them are items that are not replaceable. >> cal fire is making it easier than ever to be fire ready at ready for wildfire.org. you could create your wildfire action plan to prepare your home go bag and more personalized information based on your address and family to get you exactly what you need when

you're in an emergency. >> especially like what we're seeing down in southern california right now. the stress level is really high, and it's really hard to focus on what the things that you really need are. being prepared, having a plan, practicing your evacuation plan. going over it with everyone in your family. those are all really important aspects. >> we pray we will never have to, but we'll be ready if we must. dustin dorsey, abc seven news. >> well, these fires in los angeles county are raising serious questions about the impact on california's growing insurance crisis. tonight, seven on your side investigates the financial impacts expected for us here in the bay area and across california. >> the governor has declared a state of emergency as we watch the devastating wildfires move through los angeles county. >> it's raising new threats to the state's growing insurance crisis, with more than 13,000 homes at risk, losses could approach at least $10 billion. that's according to preliminary estimates from jp morgan chase.

this, paired with concerns as the state is implementing a new reform plan that analysts say could raise insurance premiums by 40% on average in fire prone areas. that could be up to 100% or more. >> we have been operating under 20th century regulations for a 21st century problem, and we're starting to see already insurance companies come in. we need to make sure we allow them to use technology so that we can better track and understand how these fires are reacting. >> but critics argue the reality of that new technology lara is talking about will only help insurers to raise rates with limited transparency, especially as these fires continue to impact the same areas. >> as far as seeing increased writing in those areas. i think that goal has probably been set back here, limiting access and raising concern about cost affecting all of us. >> well, clearly companies are going to ask for more for home insurance because they can because our insurance commissioner just loosened all

the regulatory rules so they can ask for pretty much anything they want now for home insurance. and we can't stop them. >> the commissioner's plan is implementing what's called catastrophe modeling, which is basically software algorithms insurers will use to assess risk and make decisions on your coverage. so anything from having a fire in your neighborhood to poor mitigation or even the lack of staffing at your local fire department all could impact your ability to have coverage. an issue we're seeing in pacific palisades, the crisis that we face four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight to right here at home. >> you know, the city of oakland just announced that they were going to, like, close fire five fire stations because of their budget crisis. yes. that is definitely one of the many factors insurance companies consider. >> now looking ahead, the big question will be which insurers come back into the market if that happens at all, and how transparent their non-renewal process will be. so bottom line though, we are all going to be

impacted by this. >> and hearing him say that they can charge whatever they want now is just terrifying to hear. >> it is. it is. >> well, devastating. wildfires are not new to us here in california, but they are getting worse.

♪ it's a little pill with a big story to tell. ♪ ♪ i take once-daily jardiance... ♪ ♪ ...at each day's start. ♪ ♪ as time went on, it was easy to see. ♪ ♪ i'm lowering my a1c! ♪ and for adults with type 2 diabetes... ...and known heart disease, jardiance can lower the risk of cardiovascular death, too. serious side effects include increased ketones in blood or urine, which can be fatal. stop jardiance and call your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, tiredness, trouble breathing, or increased ketones. jardiance may cause dehydration that can suddenly worsen kidney function and make you feel dizzy, lightheaded, or weak upon standing. genital yeast infections in men and women, urinary tract infections, low blood sugar, or a rare, life threatening bacterial infection between and around the anus and genitals can occur. call your doctor right away if you have fever or feel weak or tired and pain, tenderness, swelling or redness in the genital area. don't use if allergic to jardiance. stop use if you have a serious allergic reaction. call your doctor if you have rash, swelling, difficulty breathing, or swallowing. you may have increased risk for lower limb loss.

call your doctor right away if you have new pain or tenderness, sores, ulcers or infection in your legs or feet. ♪ jardiance is really swell... ♪ ♪ ...the little pill with a big story to tell. ♪ climate experts are highlighting the role climate change may be playing. >> abc seven news reporter luz pena spoke to several climate experts about the connection

they have detected, and what we can all do to minimize risks. >> reporter as wildfires raged throughout southern california, climate experts say images like these serve as evidence of multiple factors fueling these extreme events. one of them is warming temperatures. >> we have clear evidence of is that climate change is contributing to a warming, not only globally, but in california. in the southern california region. >> the santa ana winds are driving these wildfires to spread even faster, making it harder for firefighters to gain control. we spoke to two climate experts about what they're seeing here. >> it's a different sort of wind event than what happens in a hurricane, or what happens in a in a severe thunderstorm. there has been research on on the santa ana winds for an event that is as extreme as this one, that really falls in the tail of the distribution, there's always going to be a large contribution of natural variability. and the scientific question that comes

up is uh- are the odds of that different with and without global warming? >> both experts say they're seeing the signs of climate change amplifying these conditions. >> this is also an amplification of natural patterns that exist. like, for example, this year there's been quite a bit of rain in northern california and not so much in southern california. that's a seesaw pattern. >> the latest rain in northern california helped the bay area. >> for now, the autumn season in california is warming even faster than the rest of the year. we know that, you know, when there's a delayed onset in precipitation that really elevates the risk of wildfire. >> climate experts are urging for proactive, global and local changes. >> concerns me that even with the only the 1 or 1 and a half degree of average warming that we've seen so far, that, you know, that we see a lot of more more of these natural hazards and risks and disasters taking

place from hurricanes to large wildfires. >> in palo alto. luz pena abc seven news all right, still ahead. >> behind the scenes with the abbott a team can help you plan for your dreams. so your dream car, and vacation home, may be closer than you think. ready to meet the dream team? you can with wells fargo. dave's been very excited about saving big with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee.

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(kaz) i got this. (ben) fargo, send kaz $145 dollars with zelle. (kaz) smooth. (vo) learn more at wellsfargo.com/getfargo. by abbott elementary. then at nine, you have celebrity jeopardy! and what would you do is at ten. then you want to stick with us for abc seven news at 11. so

tonight, the cast of it's always sunny in philadelphia is taking a field trip to at elementary. it's the kickoff of the highly anticipated crossover event between the two hit shows. reporter alicia vitarelli spoke to the creators and stars of both the series to find out how these two worlds collide. >> welcome to abbott elementary, the best elementary school in the universe. >> is that what this is? it was so fun for us to play the same characters, but basically in a different tone. yeah. and then we thought it would be fun for them to come on to our show and to play those same characters, but maybe with fewer limitations on what you can say. >> just imagine the hilarious hijinks, the unhinged philly infusion that pops when abbott meets sunny. >> let me know if there's anything you need and i mean anything. >> hit it and you'll see their characters on our show, and you'll see our characters on their show. it's really fun. i am struggling to know if it's been done in tv before. >> two philadelphia diehards, creators and stars, quinta brunson and rob mcelhenney are

merging abbott elementary's mockumentary family style charm with it's always sunny in charm philadelphia as well. let's call it unfiltered flair. >> there's only one way to get rid of raccoons intimidation. >> i'm just picturing the two of you. just, like, sitting down and, like, jotting down ideas and what that jam session must have felt like. >> that was really fun. it's really fun. >> it was so crazy to be there for and look at and, i don't know, see them in our school or us, you know, going, i'm not going to give stuff away, but it's pretty wild. penn. oh hell yeah. >> yeah. penn. >> i went to penn. >> when the sunny episode drops, we follow the abbott staff after hours. >> so i think their episode kind of answers the question, like, who are these people? actually, when the abbott cameras are off, which i think is really, really, really interesting. >> things get spicy when the school bell rings and school's over. okay, i tried, they will not budge on the storyline. the only thing we know is that the

crew from paddy's pub is doing some sort of volunteer work at the school, but they did tell me this. do gather the whole family for abbott tonight. just don't bring the kids for sunny when their episode airs this season on fx. >> no no no. if your kids are over the age of 16, i would say you're good. okay. yeah. otherwise, they should watch abbott. >> alicia vitarelli, abc seven news. >> and the big crossover event is tonight at 830, right here on abc seven. that'll do it for abc seven news at 4 p.m. i'm julian glover, abc seven news at five is up next.

get out of the house. where are the car keys?