>> from abc seven live breaking news. >> scope, scale and the erratic movements of these fires is truly unprecedented. >> multiple major wildfires are decimating los angeles county, with one neighborhood after another burned to the ground. property loss tallies are reaching a historic level. the early estimate today topping nearly $50 billion. that would make the wildfires one of the most expensive u.s. natural disasters ever. good evening. i'm ama daetz and i'm dan

ashley. >> thanks for joining us. new before and after pictures are capturing this wildfire disaster in a heartbreaking way. this aerial view of malibu beach shows only smoke and rubble left behind in a lot of these neighborhoods. >> the folks who live there also work in that neighborhood, which means they've lost their home and their livelihood. >> now the national guard has moved in to help with the wildfire response. more than 600 troops are on the ground right now, and hundreds more are standing by. >> in total, more than 35,000 acres have been destroyed. there were six fires and four of them continue to burn. the palisades and eden fires have driven the highest level of destruction. more than 12,000 structures have been damaged or completely decimated so far. >> let's take a live look from the skies of the devastation. actually, we zoom right in on those flames. fire crews nationwide have come in to help battle the flames. and really, just to save countless homes. 11 people are now confirmed dead,

and authorities do expect the death toll to increase. residents are stuck just waiting to find out if they have anything left to go home to. >> it looks like a war zone. i've never seen anything like it. you can go blocks where there's no homes, and then you go a block where you'll see a little bit of smoldering on a tree. but none of the homes have been impacted. >> our curfew will be enforced starting tonight from 6 p.m. until 6 a.m. in the overnight hours in the evacuation zones. that's, of course, to prevent looting. >> let's take a look at an aerial view of what's left in the city of altadena. we are getting a closer look today at the widespread destruction left behind by the eaton fire. several homeowners there say all they're left with is a clothing on their backs. reporter scott reiff, from our sister station in los angeles, got a look at the damage from overhead. >> the human toll is overwhelming, but this is almost like one event when we start to talk about the property that has been lost and the numbers, they start throwing out $150 million.

to me, it almost appears like one event. we have two separate fires, but it's almost like one natural disaster. and when you put those two together it is going to be by far the biggest disaster in the state of california ever. >> sheriff's deputies have set up a large perimeter around the scene to keep away looters who are trying to take advantage of the situation. >> the san francisco fire department now has 31 firefighters on the fire lines down south. they are part of two separate strike teams. one of those teams is working to protect structures still standing amid all the destruction. >> they got to work the minute they got there, and they're still working as we speak to save lives and property. >> the san francisco fire department also introduced its new chief today. abc seven news reporter monica madden will have a full report coming up in about ten minutes time. >> lots of smoke in la, but windy conditions are still a concern in southern california this weekend, and we'll be getting some windy weather here

in the bay area as well. so let's get right to abc seven news meteorologist sandhya patel. sandhya. >> yeah, those folks down in southern california. not out of the woods yet. let me show you a live picture from southern california, where you can see just plumes of smoke from the wildfires that are burning there. red flag warning remains in effect until 6 p.m. tonight. that gets replaced by a fire weather watch tomorrow going into sunday. the concern is those santa ana winds will pick up again. so strong gusty winds and low humidity will keep that fire danger high. here's a look at some of those fires that are burning in southern california. the eaton fire and the palisades fire are the two biggest ones there. they have begun to make progress in some of those fires and containment as the winds have really backed off. malibu, 27 miles an hour right now. but that's not going to last. as you will notice, the winds will begin to increase as we head towards tomorrow, veering out of the north northeast again, about 30 miles an hour. even stronger winds expected towards sunday

morning. as we take a look at our local weather. we do have a wind advisory going up from midnight saturday until 10 a.m. sunday for our hills. gusts to 50 miles an hour expected. and that, of course, is concerning from a fire danger perspective. i'll be back with a full look at the forecast coming up. dan. >> all right, sandy, thanks very much. more californians, especially here in the bay area, are being forced into using the state's fair plan for homeowners insurance and the l.a. wildfires, obviously highlighting concerns about that plan's financial health. here's abc seven news reporter anser hassan in the sunol hills, homeowners denied normal insurance coverage had to turn to california's fair plan. >> it's the insurer of last resort, and data from the department of insurance shows it's the only option for one in every ten homeowners in sunol. >> recently, enrollment in the fair plan has ballooned, and that's because the private home insurance market, specifically the private home insurance companies, have been withdrawing

from different parts of the state. >> carmen balber is executive director of consumer watchdog. she says part of the problem relates to climate change and an increased risk of wildfires in sunol. the risk is high. the first street foundation, which connects climate change to financial risks, estimates 99% of sunol properties face a wildfire risk. >> it's pretty easy to understand that if you put all the risky people in one basket and something big happens, we start to run into financial troubles. >> something big did happen the los angeles county fires. >> the reason it's worrying people is because the fair plan, uh- claims, may exceed the amount of money they have in the bank. >> we are focused on maintaining the fair plan's financial health while getting people back to the regular market where they belong. >> california insurance commissioner ricardo lara spoke on friday about fair plan, highlighting the sweeping reforms enacted towards the end of 2024 to encourage competition in california's insurance market. consumer advocate amy

bock says there's also a number of backstops to keep fair plan afloat. >> let's take the fair plan. president. at her word. she has said that the fair plan can handle their exposure. >> we've talked mostly about financial engineering, you know, insurance, reinsurance, stuff like that. there is no way that the state can insure their way out of this problem. >> still, stanford professor michael guerra says much of the optimism of the reforms were wiped away by the l.a. fires and that it's too soon to know how the insurance market will emerge in the east bay. anser hassan abc seven news. >> as more images from the fires come in from southern california, we're getting a look at the scope of the devastation. and one of the main challenges some survivors will face is their insurance policies and how to navigate those. abc seven news reporter luz pena spoke to a tubbs fire survivor about the key points to keep in mind to get all the money you're entitled to from insurance coverage. lose. >> yes, i'm on the 2017 tubbs fire became one of the most destructive wildfires in california history, and the

images were seen now out of southern california, serve as a reminder of what many people went through. here, one of them is annie barber, who was who was using her experience now to help other survivors with insurance claims. it's been seven years since annie barber woke up to flames consuming her neighborhood in santa rosa. >> and about 215, 220 in the morning, i got a nixle that said fire jumped 101 heading to coffey park. >> evacuate immediately. coffey park was leveled. a different site today. this represents the resilience and unity of this community. annie, like many here, made it her mission to help other wildfire survivors. >> everybody in the neighborhood wants to pay it forward in some respect because they know how traumatic this is. >> and he began to volunteer for the nonprofit united policyholders, and now is a coordinator who's deployed to fire zones throughout the country without insurance can't recover, guiding many through the hardest moments of their

lives, starting with what to do about your mortgage. >> we recommend that they call their mortgage company, and they ask them if they could please open an escrow account so that money from the dwelling portion of the insurance will be coming in. you'll sign it, you'll send it to your mortgage company. they will open up an escrow account for the amount that you owe on your mortgage, and they'll hold on to that and walk it through the rebuild process with you. that is their collateral on your home that's gone, leading many to find ways to hold off payments. i had a total loss. can i do a forbearance? and in the perfect world, what they'll say is absolutely. and they'll give you three months at a time. >> united policyholders says documenting the inside and outside of your home now before a fire is key, as well as after. for insurance claims, you can clearly communicate with your insurance company any promises that were made. >> and really, you know, again, treat it like a business negotiation. >> now they're gearing up to go

to southern california to help. >> once they are contained, we will be going down to southern california to have our volunteers who are previous disaster survivors staff, the local assistance center. >> annie is continuing to prepare to help those who she understands at a deeper level. >> this is the best work i could be doing is helping others. it feels really good. >> and the nonprofit united policyholders was created after the devastating oakland hills firestorms in 1991. on their website, they have a list of resources. something you can do now is get to know your neighbors and truly know your insurance contract in the newsroom. luz pena, abc seven news now is certainly the time. >> lewis, thank you very much. another note tonight on the southern california wildfires. our parent company, disney has pledged $15 million to help with the fire fight and the recovery efforts. the money will support organizations offering essential services on the ground. and you can help to donate at redcross.org. slash abc to help

the red cross respond to those in need. >> citizens of this city. our department stands ready to protect you and your loved ones. should disaster strike. >> and with that statement, a new era begins for the san francisco fire department. dean crispin, a 34 year veteran of the department, was named its new chief today, and it is the first major appointment by the city's new mayor, daniel lurie. >> abc seven news politics reporter monica madden was at that news conference today. monica. safety. obviously, given what's going on in southern california, very much top of mind. >> absolutely. and leaders mentioned what was going on, noting that san francisco firefighters are currently helping with those efforts to contain the infernos in the los angeles area. and the new fire chief also emphasized that the minor earthquakes this morning in the bay area are another stark reminder of the seriousness of his new job. there's a new fire chief in town. another change in the lurie administration, as the new mayor aims to make good on his

promise of making san francisco safer. >> this is a role that carries immense responsibility and requires a unique combination of vision, leadership, and a profound connection to the people of this great city. >> battalion chief dean crispin brings more than three decades of experience with the fire department. he responded to the nine over 11 attacks in new york, and has led the response to dozens of incidents in san francisco. >> he has been recognized three times, three times for bravery and service to san franciscans, for rescuing the elderly from fires in the tenderloin. >> not only will he direct response for battling blazes and other emergencies, but the department also employs paramedics, often at the forefront of the city's opioid epidemic. >> and i'm going to have your backs. >> crispin expressed gratitude to the mayor at a friday press conference. >> it is the honor of my life to receive this appointment. public safety is at the center of your agenda. our department stands firmly with you. >> his promotion was met with a

standing ovation, filled with hugs and well wishes from his fellow firefighters. >> they came from their homes, most of them off duty, and they were here to show the chief that the chief has support and respect within the rank and file. >> it's unclear what's next for interim chief sandy tong, the city's first asian american chief, who former mayor london breed only appointed in september. >> chief tong has not announced what is going to be next, but i do know that chief tong is supporting this process and is also enthusiastic. >> san francisco police chief bill scott was also at the press conference today. no word yet on if mayor lurie plans to keep scott or replace him with a pick of his own, so we'll have to wait and see. my famous words this week. >> thank you monica. >> a major announcement from meta today. it's now the latest big name company to walk back its dei promises, and the change is already getting pushback. >> and tonight, abc news is putting together a special

episode of 2020 about the wildfires in los angeles. american catastrophe. l.a. burning airs at 9 p.m. tonight, right here on abc seven. be dave's been very excited about saving big with the comcast business 5-year price lock guarantee. five years? -five years. and he's not alone. -high five. it's five years of reliable gig speed internet. five years of advanced securit. five years of a great rate that won't change. it's back. but only for a limited time. high five.

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and confrontation in the canal district is being reinstated to his job. the department fired officer brandon nail after this skirmish in july 2022 with a gardener who was drinking beer on a sidewalk after work. but a state hired arbitrator found that the city did not have just cause to fire nail. he'll be getting back pay, but will remain on paid leave while the criminal case against him proceeds. nail is charged with felony assault and submitting a false police report. he also faces a federal civil rights lawsuit filed by the gardener. >> a series of earthquakes off the coast of san francisco this morning, the first around 7 a.m, registered 3.6. it was followed by three aftershocks within a

couple hours, the biggest being a 2.9, per the usgs quake map. no reports of injuries or damage. no tsunami alert was issued. the usgs says quakes of this size happen more often than we think. california has around 50 a day and we just don't feel most of them. >> i actually didn't feel any of the ones today, did you? but all right, let's turn our attention to the weather forecast. of course, sandhya, watching what's happening here for the weekend and the fire line. >> let's get to sandhya for the latest. sandhya. >> yeah. and ama and dan, let's take a look at the high temperatures for today first. and then we'll talk about southern california. san jose just came in with a record 74 degrees. the previous record was 70 back in 1962. it was a cooler day across the region, but still pretty mild. 74 degrees at the santa rosa location downtown, 65, in the city, richmond, concord, redwood city 67, half moon bay, 64 degrees. all right. the wildfire smoke down in southern california still getting picked up on the visible satellite picture. although the plume is not as extensive as days pass, they still have an

air quality alert. they are dealing with some air quality issues. right now. it is moderate in yellow there yesterday. do you remember they had unhealthy and poor for sensitive groups. that's still going to be the case going into the weekend. high pressure is still in control of our weather. the high and the low have separated a bit which allowed the winds to ease. and that is of course, helping the firefighters gain ground on some of the containment there. live doppler seven. we have a few clouds around right now. we're not expecting any rain anytime soon. as a matter of fact, a little breezy over the hilltops. atlas peak 25 miles an hour. those winds will increase, which is why a wind advisory goes up for our hills from midnight saturday until 10 a.m. sunday. gusts to 50 miles an hour, and that is going to result in fire danger increasing. excuse me. going into tomorrow afternoon, you have high to very high over our hilltops, indicated by the yellows and oranges. and that continues even into sunday. the other thing to be concerned about, if you are taking a walk, maybe out and about tomorrow

from 5 a.m. to noon, watch out. these areas shaded in green. coastal flood advisory minor flooding expected due to that high tide at 834 in the morning, close to seven feet. temperatures right now in the 50s and the 60s still pretty comfortable. it is fiesta friday travel forecast time. and if you're flying out of okay, 64 degrees. plenty of sun tomorrow heading to guadalajara 70 degrees with a 20% chance of showers. morelia 58 and it will be a rainy one. here's a beautiful view from our okay camera right now and a look at the highlights this weekend. gusty offshore winds, above average temperatures with sunshine and mild weather, and next week this dry pattern does continue so the winds will be increasing 7:00 out of the north. as you will notice tomorrow morning, north and northeast really going into saturday afternoon. and it translates down to the lower elevations as well. gusts close to 40 there at fairfield and half moon bay for midnight sunday. and it's still a breezy

pattern into sunday morning before the winds ease and then pick back up again sunday night. going into monday morning temperatures 30s and 40s, it is going to be a breezy start as we head into the afternoon. windy one sun will be shining for your saturday plans. low to mid 60s across the region. lakeport 59 degrees and the accuweather seven day forecast. we're going to go with a mild pattern tomorrow. those gusty winds with us. windy sunday morning. still sunny. and then as we head into monday, another round of breezy conditions next week. we are expecting those temperatures to fall closer to average. >> dan all right, sandy, thanks very much. three major companies are eliminating their diversity, equity and inclusion programs. mcdonald's, walmart and meta all joining a growing trend across corporate america now. but the dei rollback is also facing some pushback. as abc seven news reporter tim johns explains, some worry that this move will disproportionately affect

marginalized communities. >> on friday, bay area based meta becoming the latest company to end its diversity, equity and inclusion programs. the programs, more popularly known as dei, are efforts to counter discrimination by creating a more inclusive workplace or educational environments. dei has become a major topic of debate in recent months, and meta joins a growing number of major companies getting rid of their programs. welcome news to mike gonzalez, a senior fellow at the heritage foundation, a conservative think tank based in washington, dc. >> people should be able to be recognized. their achievements be recognized as the product of their of their effort. and i think this is this is exactly what what we americans of all races expect and want. >> gonzalez believes dei programs have become too divisive and actually discriminate against certain groups of people. he also thinks the pushback against dei efforts are more than just a temporary shift. >> it talked about a cultural turning point. we are seeing a cultural turning point, not just

in america, in the world. >> many disagree with the shift away from dei policies, though, and some say the changes will harm the most marginalized communities in the country. that includes people like suzanne ford, the executive director of san francisco pride and a transgender woman. >> it's punching down. and we know that the group, the most marginalized group, especially black and brown trans people, will be harmed by this. and it's a license for people to treat us poorly. >> ford says given the conservative swing the country took during last november's election, she's not surprised by dei rollbacks. she believes their importance in helping people from disadvantaged communities is now more important than ever. that's why she plans on continuing to fight for what she believes in. >> we're going to roll up our sleeves, we're going to come together and we're going to stand firm about our rights and about who we are and how we should be treated. >> although companies like meta are eliminating their dei programs, other corporations like costco say they will continue dei efforts in san francisco. tim jonze, abc seven

news. >> up next, a super opportunity ahead of super bowl 60. how bay area businesses can get in the spotlight when the big

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tickets are about to go on sale starting next thursday. fans can buy tickets for luxury suites that can accommodate up to 100 people. single game tickets will go on sale later this month. season tickets have already sold out. the a's home opener is set for march 31st against the chicago cubs, and the bay area is looking ahead to super bowl 60, which is coming to levi's stadium. >> february 26th of 2026. i should say a year from now to get ready. the nfl has partnered with the 40 niners and the bay area host committee to launch a program aimed at getting local small businesses involved. >> source ll is basically a local procurement program for local diverse, so 51% diverse, women owned, lgbtq plus diverse businesses to apply to get into the mix. >> they're looking for businesses that can help with every aspect of the super bowl,

from event production to catering, transportation, security and more. those who are interested can apply online at the address right there on your screen. super bowl 60 suppliers.com. the deadline is january 31st and the nfl playoffs kick off this weekend, and you can watch the final game of wild card wild card weekend here on abc seven monday night. the rams play the vikings. coverage starts at 430 on monday. >> all right. and there's much more news ahead at 530 on abc seven bay area streaming tv, including continuing coverage of the southern california wildfires. >> and if you're watching us here on tv world news tonight with david muir is next. he is in l.a. reporting for sandhya patel. all of us here. we appreciate your time. >> i'm dan ashley and i'm ama daetz. we'll see you again at six.

♪ tonight, the abc news exclusive, you can see the aerial efforts here over my shoulder, topanga