LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – Firefighters are racing to contain a new wildfire that has erupted close to homes in the area of Calabasas and Hidden Hills, northwest of Los Angeles, on Thursday afternoon.
The Kenneth Fire was first reported around 2:30 p.m. in an area of dry brush in the Upper Las Virgenes Canyon Open Space Preserve, north of the 101 Freeway.
The fire was estimated to be 50 acres at 3:45 p.m. and exploded to 791 acres by 4:45 p.m., fanned by gusty Santa Ana winds, Los Angeles Fire Department incident commanders said.
Homes were imminently threatened.
Sky5 view of the Kenneth Fire in the area of Hidden Hills and Calabasas, California on Jan. 9, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of a wildfire in the area of Hidden Hills and Calabasas, California on Jan. 9, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of a wildfire in the area of Hidden Hills and Calabasas, California on Jan. 9, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 view of a wildfire in the area of Hidden Hills and Calabasas, California on Jan. 9, 2025. (KTLA)
Sky5 footage showed flames encroaching on multi-million dollar homes with pools and tennis courts in their backyards.
LAFD issued a mandatory evacuation order for neighborhoods north of the 101 Freeway from Colony Road to the west, Orrville Avenue to the east, and north to Burbank Road.
Sky5 footage showed helicopters dropping retardant around the fire’s perimeter and fixed-wing aircraft dumping water to protect homes. Smoke was billowing across the 101 Freeway.
A map showing the evacuation zones for the Kenneth Fire in the Calabasas/West Hills area as of 4:45 p.m. on Jan. 9, 2025. (LAFD)
“Firefighters from Los Angeles and Ventura counties are actively engaged in containment efforts, deploying both ground crews and aerial resources,” incident commanders said. “The challenging terrain and persistent winds complicate suppression activities, necessitating heightened vigilance from residents and adherence to directives from local authorities.”
It was unclear if any homes had been lost.
An errant countywide emergency alert for an evacuation warning was sent to millions of cell phones shortly before 4 p.m. Supervisor Janice Hahn quickly confirmed it was a “technical error” and intended only for residents near the Kenneth Fire. A correction was issued around 4:20 p.m.
This latest fire has emerged as crews struggle to contain two other significant wildfires that have destroyed several thousand structures in the Los Angeles metro area: the 17,000-acre Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and Malibu and the Eaton Fire in Altadena and Pasadena.
This is a developing story. Stay with KTLA 5 News for updates.
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