You wake up, smell that faint, acrid scent of woodsmoke, and immediately check your phone. It's the "L.A. reflex." Honestly, living here means always having one eye on the horizon. If you're looking for the latest on a fire in los angeles today, the situation is a bit of a mixed bag of immediate structure emergencies and the heavy emotional weight of a very recent anniversary.
Right now, as of January 14, 2026, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is coming off a brutal 24 hours in the San Fernando Valley. Yesterday evening, a major emergency structure fire tore through a vacant commercial building in North Hills on West Parthenia Street. It took over 100 firefighters to keep that beast from jumping into a nearby four-story apartment complex. Earlier that same day, another 120 firefighters were out in Winnetka battling a similar blaze on Sherman Way.
These aren't the massive mountain-gobbling wildfires we see in August, but for the people living next door to a collapsing roof on Parthenia Street, it's plenty real.
Why the City is on Edge Right Now
It isn't just the structure fires. The mood in the city is heavy because we just hit the one-year anniversary of the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire.
If you remember last January, it was basically hell on earth. The Palisades Fire became the most destructive wildfire in the history of Los Angeles. We're talking 23,448 acres, 12 lives lost, and nearly 7,000 structures gone. People are still living in trailers or fighting with insurance companies that seem to have "lost" their paperwork.
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Just last week, on January 7, a bunch of residents held a "They Let Us Burn" rally in Pacific Palisades. They’re angry. They’re pointing fingers at the city and state for what they call gross negligence and a lack of resources during that disaster. When you see smoke today, that’s the trauma that bubbles back up.
Breaking Down Today's Active Incidents
So, what's actually burning right now?
L.A. is currently in a "mop-up" and investigation phase for several high-intensity incidents. While the Santa Ana winds aren't currently howling at 80 mph, the LAFD is staying busy with these major emergency calls:
- North Hills (INC#1523): This was a commercial building fire that went to "Major Emergency" status. The roof collapsed, which actually helped crews get to the "deep-seated" fire. It’s knocked down now, but investigators are still on-site.
- Winnetka (INC#0230): Another two-story commercial building. This one drew 120 firefighters. It's out, but the damage is massive.
- Beverlywood (INC#1994): A split-level home caught fire late Monday night. It got into the attic, which is always a nightmare for crews to ventilate.
Is there a brush fire currently threatening your home? No. Not today. Cal Fire is reporting that Southern California's fire threat has settled into "near-normal" levels thanks to some rainfall in early January. But "normal" in L.A. still means structural fires and the constant threat of a spark in the dry brush that hasn't quite greened up yet.
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The Toxic Reality Nobody Talks About
We need to talk about what happens after the fire in los angeles today is put out. A recent study by UC Davis, specifically looking at the L.A. fires from 2025, found something pretty terrifying.
Even if your house didn't burn, the smoke might have "poisoned" it.
When a modern city burns, it’s not just trees. It’s Teslas. It’s dental clinics. It’s dry cleaners. All those plastics and chemicals create a toxic soup. The researchers found that carcinogens like benzene and neurotoxins like lead stayed inside people's upholstery and curtains for months after the flames were gone.
If you’re moving back into a burn zone or even just lived downwind of those North Hills or Winnetka fires, don't just "air it out." You kinda need to get the air and surfaces tested. Professional deep cleaning isn't just for the smell; it’s for the stuff you can't see.
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How to Stay Actually Informed
Don't rely on "vibe-checking" the sky. That’s how people get trapped.
- LAFD Alerts: This is the gold standard. They post in real-time. If you see "Major Emergency," it means they’ve called in a massive amount of resources.
- PulsePoint: This app is basically a scanner in your pocket. You can see exactly where the engines are headed before the news even picks it up.
- Watch Duty: If we do get a brush fire, this is the best app for following perimeters. It's run by humans, not just algorithms.
What You Should Do Next
If you are currently smelling smoke or worried about a fire in los angeles today, your first move is to verify the location. Don't panic, but don't ignore it either.
Practical Steps for Today:
- Check your air filters: If you were near the San Fernando Valley fires yesterday, your HVAC filters probably caught a lot of particulates. Swap them out today.
- Sign up for NotifyLA: This is the city's official emergency alert system. If they need to evacuate you, this is how they’ll do it.
- Review your "Go Bag": The anniversary of the Palisades Fire is a reminder that a fire can move faster than you can think. Ensure you have your physical hard drive, medications, and pet supplies in one spot.
Stay vigilant. L.A. is a city that burns, but it's also a city that knows how to fight back. Keep your eyes on the official LAFD channels and keep your car's gas tank at least half full.