Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Newsroom
CNN International: L.A. Fires Are Among The Most Destructive In State History; Los Angeles Officials Give Update On Fire Emergency; L.A. County Sheriff: 1,000+ Deputies Working 12-Hour Shifts. Aired 11a-12p ET
Aired January 13, 2025 - 11:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[11:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
JIM SCIUTTO, HOST, "CNN NEWSROOM": Welcome to CNN Newsroom. I'm Jim Sciutto in New York.
And ahead on the show, just unimaginable loss, the death toll rises, thousands of homes and buildings, as you can see there from the air, are in ruins, as the battle is still raging against fires in California and that battle reaches a critical point. Plus, we'll speak to the father of a slain U.S.-Israeli hostage who is fighting for the return of his son's remains, as Gaza's ceasefire talks inch closer, and negotiators are cautiously optimistic about a possible hostage deal. And confirming the cabinet or attempting to, we're going to look at what President-elect Donald Trump's handpicked nominees could face, as they sit before the Senate this week.
We begin with the latest on the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles. We are expecting an update from officials at any minute. We're going to bring you those comments from the podium there live when they begin. Devastated, weary communities in southern California are now facing what officials call a particularly dangerous situation ahead in the battle still underway to control the wildfires. Fire crews were able to make some progress over the weekends, as winds died down, but that narrow window of weaker winds is about to close. Winds expected to pick back up. The fires have already burned an area larger than the entire city of Paris. At least 24 people confirmed killed. Dozens are still missing. Survivors just shell shocked.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We're just living day by day. There is no conversation we can have.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There is hundreds of people wanting to know how their home is, how their neighbor's home is, and everybody seems to be reaching out in the community. And a tragic situation. This is the worst of the worst, is what it is.
(END VIDEO CLIP) SCIUTTO: The worst of the worst. Among the victims, 95-year-old Dalyce
Curry, you see her hair, Curry was a beloved grandmother who appeared as an extra on some Hollywood classic such as "The 10 Commandments" and "Lady Sings the Blues", one of many victims there now.
CNN's Stephanie Elam, she is in Malibu. And Stephanie, I wonder how folks feel there. Do they feel that this is only a brief window as the winds have died down and that more will be coming?
STEPHANIE ELAM, CNN CORRESPONDENT: In general, there is that fear, Jim. Where I'm standing, people can't come to because it's an evacuation zone. You see back there, the barricaded area back there. And this is the Pacific Coast Highway. So, literally across the street from the Pacific Ocean. It's right there, and that's how far this fire burned down. And they are very serious about letting in people here, making sure that they belong here. We got checked, not just to see our work IDs, but also our personal IDs, to make sure that we were showing that we are the real people. We say we are, because they've had a couple of people pretending to be firefighters trying to get in here, and actually they did get in and trying to loot.
But, look, this is some of the devastation from the Palisades Fire here. Look at how this car is all burned out. It was so hot, the metal melted down here in this parts, the glass busting out and melting out of this car, burning all the way down towards the ocean and then taking out this motel here behind it. All in all, you're looking at some massive numbers of loss of property, thousands of properties, they believe, between these fires, have been lost. And look, this motel just completely decimated by this fire here. And this is just a small picture of what people are waking up and trying to find out whether or not their property is safe, their home is safe, and wanting to get back into these evacuation zones.
But, there is so much devastation. That is going to take some time. In fact, take a listen to the FEMA Administrator talk about that.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
DEANNE CRISWELL, FEMA ADMINISTRATOR: The complexity of removing the debris from this fire is going to be significant, and it's going to take a long time. It's going to take more than six months to remove this debris. We'll get the majority out. California will get the majority of out in that timeframe, but it's going to take some time to be able to get everything out so they can start rebuilding and make sure that it is safe for people to come back in and start rebuilding those homes.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ELAM: And it is a long process that these people are in for right now, and they're already dealing with so much emotionally. You take a look at the schools here, schools in Malibu, schools in Pasadena closed for the week.
[11:05:00] LAUSD, the Los Angeles Unified School District, opening up some of -- most of their schools, but all of this trying to get some normalcy for people here, because there is so much uncertainty everywhere else, Jim.
SCIUTTO: You have some schools burned down as well. It's going to take them a long time to rebuild.
Stephanie Elam, thanks so much.
We want to go live now to that update, we promised, from officials there in California. Let's listen in.
ANTHONY C. MARRONE, L.A. COUNTY FIRE CHIEF: Severe fire weather conditions will continue through Wednesday. Please be assured that all fire departments and all law enforcement agencies in the area will be prepared. The anticipated winds combined with low humidities and low fuel moistures will keep the fire threat in all of Los Angeles County critical. I ask all Los Angeles County residents in wildfire-prone areas to understand that the necessary public safety power shutoffs are important for our collective safety in preventing the next wildfire natural disaster.
I did want to dispel one rumor. The LA County Fire Department has never turned down any offers for mutual aid assistance and resources. Repopulation will not occur until all areas are safe. Additionally, our CL-415 Super Scooper that was damaged because of a drone incursion, is reportedly going to be flying tomorrow morning. It has been repaired, and we're waiting for the FAA to give us approval to fly again.
Thank you to Board Chair Supervisor Kathryn Barger and Supervisor Lindsey Horvath for your unwavering leadership and continued support throughout this unprecedented disaster. And finally, to all the Los Angeles County residents affected by this catastrophe, please be assured your firefighters continue to work towards full containment of these wildfires from the air and on the ground. We stand alongside each of you, as you begin the repopulation of evacuated areas when safe and the rebuilding of your homes, your communities and your lives. Thank you.
KRISTIN M. CROWLEY, L.A. FIRE CHIEF: Good morning, everyone. Kristin Crowley, Los Angeles City Fire Department Fire Chief.
I'll just start off with just a moment to share with everybody out there that's been impacted by these wildland fires that the entire LAFD family, sworn/civilian, our city family, Mayor Bass, city leadership, everybody, our thoughts and hearts and prayers go out to you as we continue to push forward and mitigate this emergency. We understand the impacts, and we're working and will continue to work very, very, very hard for everyone.
Another point I want to make is that also we are so very grateful for the firefighters and the first responders that have already arrived and continue to arrive in the Southern California region. We absolutely know that we cannot do this on our own, and we are tremendously appreciative of all of your continued support.
As the increasing wind event is upon us, as we speak, the Los Angeles City Fire Department has maximized our resource capabilities and response capabilities. All available LAFD resources have been staffed. I have strategically pre-positioned engine strike teams and task forces, which are dedicated to rapid response for any new fire that breaks out in the city. In addition, I've directed the Fire Prevention Bureau to augment wildfire patrols in high hazard areas.
The Palisades Fire, you LAFD remains committed to this fire, and we have significant number of engines that have been dedicated to this fire. The crews that are involved, we have crews from up and down the state, outside of the state, have made excellent, excellent work overnight mopping up flare-ups and hot spots. Their primary focus last night was on the Mandeville Canyon area, and this fire is now at 23,713 acres with 14 percent containment, with 5,123 personnel assigned to the Palisades incident. Firefighters will continue to work diligently throughout the day to increase containment and prevent further fire spread again.
[11:10:00]
I want to focus our -- my comments on the amount of resources that are here in the Palisades, from the first responders all the way up to our incident command teams. Again, we're going to keep working really, really hard for you.
Just a brief comment on the Hurst Fire. It's been held to 799 acres with 95 percent containment. Again, thank you to the community members that are out there for remaining vigilant. We are not in the clear. I want to make sure of that. We are not in the clear as of yet, and we must not let our guard down, as we have right now extreme fire behavior, and we need to make sure that the community is staying updated with the most information, updated information as well, follow all evacuation warnings and orders without delay. And please, please stay safe.
I would now like to introduce our next speaker, and that is Sheriff Luna. Thank you.
ROBERT G. LUNA, L.A. COUNTY SHERIFF: Robert Luna, Sheriff of Los Angeles County.
Regarding our deployment, we still have well over a thousand of our Los Angeles County deputies out there working on 12-hour shifts. We have 172 California Highway Patrol officers. I'd like to thank the commissioner who was with me yesterday, Sean Duryee, for all of his assistance. I also want to thank Major General Beavers, I was with him as well, and he has fortunately been able to increase the amount of National Guard assistance that he is giving us to -- up to 600, and he told me yesterday, if we need more, we can ask for more, and we are strategically looking at that, analyzing it, and will ask as needed.
Evacuations, we have approximately, and this is some good news, because it has dropped, we have over 92,000 people who are under evacuation orders, and approximately 89,000 people who are under evacuation warnings. I want our community to know this, and Chief Marrone did talk about this for a second, in every conversation we're having about evacuations, warnings, whether they're going to implement them or take them away, the conversation about repopulation is on all of our minds. I know that we are attending, staffs attending community meetings, whether they be out in the Palisades fire area in Malibu, for us at LA County Sheriffs in the Altadena area, we are hearing our community loud and clear, and we want to get you in there as soon as possible.
But, I want to reiterate what is holding us up. This is very important. We are still -- for the Altadena area, we are in the third day of grid searching. It is a very grim task, and we -- unfortunately, every day we're doing this, we're running across the remains of individual community members. That is not easy work. Very sad to report, and I believe that work is not only going to continue, but I believe will continue to find remains. So, please be patient with us. People are saying, I just want to go look at my house and I want to see what's left. We know that, but we have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors. Please be patient with us. There is a lot of hazards in the area. Still, the area has not been
rendered safe. Please be patient with us.
And then we have the potential of crime scenes, and I have -- I'm not saying that's what it is. I'm just saying we have to think ahead, because we can't go back from that. So, please be patient with us. The curfew is still in effect, 06:00 p.m. to 06:00 a.m. for specifically the mandatory evacuation areas in both the Palisades-impacted area and the Eaton Fire-impacted areas. Those are subject to change depending on need, one way or another. We understand again that people want to go back, but it is dangerous to do so, and we will not put anybody's safety at risk.
I want to talk about arrest. For the LA County Sheriff's area, overnight, we had several other arrests. It brings it up to a total of 34 in our geographic area. We have 30 in the Eaton Fire area, and we have four in the Palisades area. Last night, specifically, again, for LA County Sheriff's jurisdiction, we arrested four. Two were for curfew violations.
[11:15:00]
Two were arrested for one drone incident. To my knowledge, we have now had two specific drone incidents that have resulted in three arrests. So, as I talk to our community, again, if you do not have business in the evacuation areas, do not go there, please. You're infringing upon the work that our first responders need to attend to. And I do want to say, when I talk about these arrests, I want to clarify, not all of them are for burglary or looting or for curfew violations. But, it is very important when I say stay out, we are arresting people who are not supposed to be there, who do not live there, who are in possession of narcotics. We've arrested several with guns.
And yeah, I'm going to tell you something. If our deputies being very proactive in these areas, stopping people in a constitutional manner, as always, making sure that they're supposed to be there, and you have narcotics on you and you have a gun on you, and police work, we call that a clue, something is wrong there. So, that's why we're arresting people.
Our search and rescue missions up to -- through the two days, we have searched 1874 properties. In regards to deaths, and again, I want to clarify, this is for the Los Angeles County area of responsibility, we have confirmed 21 deaths, 16 in the Eaton Fire area, and five in the Palisades area. And sadly, yes, unfortunately, I anticipate the number to go up.
Missing persons, we are actively -- have 23 active missing persons reported, 17 in the Eaton Fire area, six in the Malibu area. All of them are adults. Thank God there is no juveniles. But, if you believe you have somebody who is missing, make sure you report that to us as soon as possible.
For any updated information that anybody may have, questions, very important questions regarding evacuation orders or warnings or any road closures, please go to lacounty.gov/emergency for assistance. The American Red Cross is doing an amazing job. Please contact them. And again, for some of the negative things I talk about, there are some amazing stories of community members coming forward to donate items. It's very inspiring for donations. Go to Emergency Network Los Angeles.
And now it's my pleasure to introduce Assistant Chief Dominic Choi from the Los Angeles Police Department.
DOMINIC CHOI, L.A. POLICE DEPT.: OK. Good morning. I want to start by just assuring everybody that our primary focus still remains the safety and wellbeing of our residents. These fires have caused significant disruptions, but we are working tirelessly with our partners to protect lives, property and secure critical infrastructure.
So, as of this morning, LAPD has in the city 266 officers deployed to the Palisades Fire. We also have support from our National Guard partners, who have deployed 200 soldiers assigned to the incident. We're very grateful for their support.
We also have dedicated resources investigating our missing persons reported. So, at this time, as of this morning, 06:00 a.m., we have a total of 26 people reported missing in the city of Los Angeles. 17 of those individuals have been located safely. Nine -- of the nine remaining, two, most likely, were found in the fires deceased, but they haven't been positively identified by a Coroner's office yet. So, those are still waiting to be identified. One individual, we believe, is located safely in a shelter, but that person, we're waiting for confirmation on that. There are six that remain unaccounted for, and we're diligently trying to identify and locate these people.
So, in total, in the city of Los Angeles, since Tuesday, when these fires occurred, we have three fatalities. Again, two were found in the fires, and one was a burn victim that was transported earlier this week to a hospital. That person later passed away.
If you want to make a missing persons' report, you can do so either in person or over the phone. You can call any one of our 21 geographic stations and make that report, or you can call our Missing Persons Investigation Unit directly. I'm going to give you the number. It is 213-996-1800, and select option three. That telephone is manned 24 hours a day currently.
[11:20:00]
As of this morning, the city of Los Angeles, related to the fires, has a total of 14 arrests, three for curfew, one for impersonating a firefighter, one for possession of burglary tools, four for burglary, one for DUI, one for felony vandalism, and three for shoplifting. As the sheriff just mentioned, it's not just for looting or burglary that you're going to jail or curfew. If you're in the area, you don't belong in the area, you will be stopped and questioned, and whatever crime you're -- is being committed, you will be held accountable for that. So, please stay away from these evacuation areas.
Regarding escorts, we talked about this a little bit yesterday, but we tried to put -- be compassionate and put together a team to escort residents to their homes to either retrieve small pets or their medication. But, that line became exceedingly large, and it was causing more problems than solutions. We have halted this escort service for the safety of everyone involved. Currently, we don't have any timeline of when we're going to open up that service, if at all. So, please be patient with us. We know you are waiting. If you are still waiting at any of these checkpoints to be left -- to be let in or escorted, please do not wait there. You will not be let in or allowed to have an escort at this time.
Also, the reason -- another important reason for stopping these escorts is because we have search operations beginning. Over the next 48 hours, we'll be working alongside LAFD Search and Rescue, our ATF partners, as well as the LA County Coroner's Office, throughout the burn areas, giving priority to those people that are reported missing in these burn areas. From there, grid search will take place. That could result in crime scene preservation and then recovery remains. We hope that the high volume of resources dedicated to this effort
will expedite the process.
And as many of you know, the dry conditions and winds increasing, it's possible that evacuation orders may increase. I know overnight we saw some of the evacuation orders turned into warnings, but we can absolutely see some of these order -- areas increased to mandatory evacuations again. So, I urge you, we urge you, please heed these orders. It can save your life.
And as we also previously mentioned, identifying the cause of these fires is critically important to all of us. In conjunction with our partners and led by ATF, we have created a Los Angeles Regional wildlife Investigative Task Force, and while their work is still in the early stages, we're committed to identifying the cause and origin of these fires, and we're also committed to holding anyone who is responsible for these fires accountable. And to further protect the residents of Los Angeles and the city, our curfew is also still in effect from 06:00 p.m. to 06:00 a.m. In short, if you don't belong there, don't be there. In closing, I want to reiterate that our department and all of us
standing here this morning are with you. I want to express my deepest gratitude to the firefighters, our fellow law enforcement partners and volunteers, who are putting themselves in harm's way to protect our communities and help people recover. Their bravery and dedication are truly inspirational. We are also grateful for the patience and cooperation of our residents during this difficult time. We know this is not easy. Thank you and be safe.
At this time, I'd like to introduce Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
NATHAN HOCHMAN, L.A. COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY: Thank you. With firefighters literally putting their lives on the line to save lives and to save homes, with law enforcement working around the clock to keep security at a high level, with over 200,000 people evacuated, I'm one of them, and with people who have lost lives, lost homes, lost businesses, there are still people in our community who, rather than saying thank you, look at this as an opportunity to commit crime and to take illegal profit and advantage over the situation.
We've seen this come up, and you've heard law enforcement describe the arrests that have been made, whether those arrests are for looting, burglary, grand theft, whether those arrests are for arson, whether those arrests will eventually be for price gouging, because we have been seeing price gouging with hotels, people offering residents as well above the 10 percent addition that they can charge. We've seen that with medical supplies, other types of supplies, price gouging going on. So, the criminals have decided that this is an opportunity, and I'm here to tell you that this is not an opportunity. You will be arrested. You will be prosecuted and you will be punished to the full extent of the law.
[11:25:00]
At 02:00 p.m. today, we'll be holding a press conference to announce the first charges in a looting case and the first charges in an arson case. This is not an arson case tied to the major fires. It was an arson case that was done on the side, in essence. You will hear that these people who have committed these crimes are facing very significant sentences. I am working with over 750 Deputy District Attorneys and the entire law enforcement community to bring these people who are despicable and disgraceful to justice.
And we're not only going to see what's happening right now in connection with bringing stability to our community, whether it's, again, going after the looters, the arsonists or the price gougers, but we're starting to see the criminals emerge who are going to go after the recovery efforts. These are people who are contacting people and pretending to be GoFundMe operations to help people who have suffered, and GoFundMe, by the way, actually is an excellent organization that has put in place protections that if you use their site, you can use it safely. But, these are people who are creating fake GoFundMe sites. I tell people to be very, very cautious when you give your money away to check out the organizations that you are doing it to. I applaud anyone who wants to donate to these causes, whether with
money or services, but make sure that they are going to the right operations. Again, you can go to Emergency Network LA, that's enla.gov, or you can go to recovery.lacounty.gov to see the types of operations that you can have confidence in.
And we're also going to see scams coming up with insurance proceeds. We're going to see scams coming up with government benefits, because we are going to literally have billions of dollars come into Los Angeles County over the next months and years. And for the criminals who view this as an opportunity, let me again give you this warning, an absolutely, unmistakably clear warning that if you go ahead and you want to rip off people and the system and governments that are trying to help the people who have suffered from these tragedies, you will be arrested, you will be prosecuted, and we will seek maximum punishment against you.
I hope we'll have the opportunity to tell you at a later point that this warning has been heeded, that deterrence works, because if we are going to actually have this is -- the stability and the rebuild, it's going to be based on everyone contributing. But, for those who don't want to heed this message, the warning has been cast out there, and the warning will actually have teeth behind it.
I'd now like to introduce Los Angeles Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger.
KATHRYN BARGER, L.A. COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS CHAIR: Thank you. As I discussed yesterday, FEMA relief is essential to getting our impacted residents back on their feet. Today and yesterday, FEMA staff have been at seven county libraries, plus the Alhambra Library, providing support to individuals who are seeking FEMA relief. Tomorrow, these services will transition to centralized assistance centers, one at Pasadena City College and the other at UCLA Research Park. These centers will be in-person venues where all impacted individuals can receive direct support for FEMA's assistance program, which helps residents access lodging, essential items and other large financial needs. You can visit recovery.lacounty.gov for all the details.
And I would encourage everyone listening to go to one of these sites, because I was at Pasadena Convention Center. I know Supervisor Solis (ph), you were as well, and I saw people handing out cards. I don't know who they are. I don't know who they represent, but people are looking for an opportunity. At these recovery centers, you will have legitimate government officials who are going to work with you to make sure you receive the benefits you deserve.
I want to thank FEMA for their continued support for our impacted residents. Our residents need the support to begin rebuilding. And believe me, after last night's meeting that I attended with my constituents, they are desperate. So many residents I've heard from, especially those without insurance, are concerned they won't receive enough assistance to rebuild their lives.
[11:30:00] On top of FEMA assistance, I'm going to be advocating for innovative loan and housing solutions to bring people back to their communities. People need help, and they need to know what kind of support they're going to receive.
Last night, I joined hundreds of impacted victims in Pasadena to hear their stories, understand their needs, and to discuss what comes next. Many wildfire survivors I've met, spoke -- and spoke with have repeatedly told me they're worried about the rebuilding process. Specifically, many have mentioned that they are eager to begin clearing debris and seeing what valuable possessions survived this devastating fire.
I want you to know that yesterday, the governor issued an executive order to streamline this rebuilding process. This executive order is going to make rebuilding homes easier by cutting red tape and make it as affordable and efficient as possible for our residents to clear debris. Yesterday's executive order, along with the previous order to waive the CEQA requirement in rebuilding, are two unprecedented actions that will be essential to making our community whole again. I know that our wildfire survivors want nothing more than to begin the rebuilding process, and it is our job in government to get out of the way. Our neighbors deserve nothing less.
To all the residents in our county, we must maintain diligence over the next few days, as winds increase again. Please listen to law enforcement and their evacuation notices. And believe me, I heard last night, many are frustrated. These next few days are crucial in our fighting of the existing fires and also preventing any new fires. Thank you for taking it seriously.
I'd now like to introduce LA City Mayor Karen Bass.
KAREN BASS, L.A. MAYOR: Thank you, supervisor. Angelinos, as we continue to experience the shock, the grief and the anger, we have to stand together, and it is in that spirit that we have seen hundreds, if not 1000s, of Angelinos traveling all around the region to deliver supplies, clothes, whatever they think might help the victims of these fires.
As we've mentioned, the National Weather Service is predicting close to hurricane-force level winds, and so we're making urgent preparations. My top priority, and the priority of everyone else, is to do everything we can to protect lives. As these winds approach, LA City firefighters and firefighters from across the county, state and nation and even overseas, are in a proactive and strategic posture to save lives. Firefighting resources from LAFD and fire departments from all over are positioned in strategic holding locations. DWP is deploying water tankers to augment water supply for firefighters. The Emergency Operations Centers remain activated at the highest level to rapidly coordinate emergency response.
As we prepare for more win, we're also urgently working to provide people with much needed resources. This week, as Chair Barger said, our city and county will launch in-person local assistance centers that are tailored to those affected by specific fires. These local assistance centers is for Angelinos impacted by the Palisades and Hurst fires, and they will open at the UCLA Research Park, which was formally known as the West Side Pavilion. It will operate from 09:00 a.m. to 08:00 p.m. seven days a week. These centers will help people who have lost vital records, like birth certificates, driver's license, Social Security documentation. They will help people who have lost their homes or businesses apply for disaster relief loans, and they will provide referrals for mental health counseling and other services.
We anticipate that there will be representation for over city -- over 20 city departments. There will be representatives from the state and federal departments and agencies. Later today, we are also going to be releasing policies on the city level that will help with the rebuilding process. So, as we continue to go through these next few days where the fires are still a serious threat, we also want to begin to help people put their lives back together and to prepare to rebuild our city.
[11:35:00]
I also want to again remind Angelinos that lacity.gov is now a one- stop shop for assistance for those who are impacted, and a place to help Angelinos find a way to get involved. As the winds pick up, please stay safe. Please heed the call to evacuate, should you receive that, and remember to heed all public safety guidance. Thank you.
LINDSEY HORVATH, SUPERVISOR, 3RD DISTRICT OF LOS ANGELES COUNTY: I'm Lindsey Horvath, Supervisor for the 3rd District of Log Angeles County --
SCIUTTO: We've been listening there to an update from a series of Los Angeles and California officials, the latest on the fire and the recovery. One of the last voices to speak there just before we turned down the audio there was the mayor, Karen Bass. She said, please heed calls to evacuate as winds are expected to increase. We heard earlier that they will only begin repopulation of the evacuated areas when they are deemed safe. That does not appear imminent at this point. The fire chief saying, we have people literally looking for the remains of your neighbors, as a way of highlighting the work that they still have to do in those evacuated areas.
Also noting that the curfew in those evacuated areas will continue from 06:00 p.m. to 06:00 a.m. every night. He put the death toll at 21 in the LA County area, saying that they have 23 active missing cases, cases of missing persons, as they look for the possibility of further victims of these horrible fires.
Joining us now from Altadena, which is one of the worst affected areas there, is our Veronica Miracle. Veronica, tell us how residents are responding now. Are they already beginning to talk about what they need to do to clean up and rebuild, or are they worried about fire coming there again?
VERONICA MIRACLE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, I think that they're worried about both, Jim. As we heard from authorities, they're telling people to not let their guard down. That was one of the things that struck me, because there was another wind event coming, and it's going to last through Wednesday. In fact, authorities are telling people from Ventura all the way to San Diego, basically all of Southern California, to be ready to evacuate. So, that is certainly taking an emotional toll on people.
And then people here, at least in Altadena, the Eaton Fire and over in Palisades, have not been able to come home for a number of reasons. One of them that you touched on is because they are still grid searching. They're searching for bodies, people missing, or people that are still missing, and so they're searching to see if there is anyone who may have died in this fire. So, that is a big concern. There is also the concern that there -- it's just too dangerous. There is toxic ash. There are downed power lines still. They are still working to see if this area is even safe.
I want to just show you all of this devastation. It's so hard to really wrap your mind around, even just being here, looking at it, just rows and rows and rows of homes. It goes on for blocks and blocks. The only thing that we can see standing are some of the foundations. You've got chimneys, outlines of cars. But, here is what's so incredible about fire behavior and just hard to believe. Look at this across the street here, this entire row of homes untouched. You've got wooden fences. You've got so many different things, trees that could have easily burst into flames. That is how unpredictable fire activity is. And these winds were just whipping in every direction, destroyed all of these behind us, and left the homes across the street still standing. Jim, back to you.
SCIUTTO: Yeah. It must leave those residents wondering, why them, right, or why not them, given --
MIRACLE: Yes.
SCIUTTO: -- how you can have a contrast like that just on one street.
Veronica Miracle, thanks so much to you and your team there. We appreciate the work you're doing.
Still to come, U.S. President Joe Biden speaks with Israel's Prime Minister, as U.S. officials grow increasingly optimistic that a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal is now, quote, "in sight." Plus, one family, it's just unbearable anguish. We're going to speak with the father of slain American-Israeli hostage Itay Chen, fighting for the return of his son's remains from Gaza.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[11:40:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Both Israel and Hamas say there has been progress in recent, still indirect, negotiations to reach a hostage and ceasefire deal for Gaza. Hamas officials tells CNN, an agreement appears, quote, "very close", but in language we've heard so many times before, sticking points remain in the ongoing talks which are taking place in Qatar. Those sticking points include Israel's demand for a larger buffer zone inside Gaza and Hamas' demand for a permanent ceasefire, instead of just a temporary pause in fighting.
U.S. President Joe Biden, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spoke by phone on Sunday. That was their first publicly announced call in months. A U.S. deputy national security advisor says negotiations have made, quote, "significant progress". A viable agreement is now on the table. Sources tell CNN, U.S. officials are showing the first real signs of serious optimism about these negotiations in months, because we have heard optimism before.
CNN's Arlette Saenz is at the White House.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
ARLETTE SAENZ, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Senior White House officials are taking on a cautiously optimistic tone, as they are hoping that a ceasefire agreement and hostage release could be within their grasp in the coming weeks. President Biden is hoping they can secure some type of an agreement before he leaves office, and President-elect Donald Trump has also said he wants to see an agreement before his swearing in on January 20th.
Now, Deputy National Security Advisor Jon Finer said that several outstanding issues have been resolved, though he did not detail exactly what those issues were. But, he did seem to indicate that there could be some hope that a deal could be on the horizon. Take a listen.
JON FINER, U.S. DEPUTY NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR: There has been significant progress made. I am not going to sit here and make predictions. This has been a long time coming. We think a deal has been on the table that the parties should be able to agree to for quite some time. Hamas, up till now, has been resistant and reluctant to actually take that deal. Some of the gaps have narrowed, and we very much hope that this does come together, and we're going to stay on top of it, but I'm not going to sit here and predict exactly when it or where it will come together.
SAENZ: It comes as U.S. officials have really been trying to push these negotiations along in recent weeks. President Biden spoke by phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday about the prospects for a deal, and we've also learned that Netanyahu met with Trump's incoming Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff on Saturday. A source familiar with the process said that really Trump is serving as an incentive in these talks. He has warned that there would be all hell to pay if there isn't an agreement by the time he takes office. Witkoff recently said that the President-elect wants to see these hostages back home, but at least if that doesn't physically happen before January 20th, he at least wants to see an agreement on the table.
Now, for President Biden's part, he is set to deliver a major foreign policy speech today at the State Department, as he is really looking to cement his legacy on that front, and that conflict between Israel and Hamas is a key part of Biden's foreign policy work, as he has really spent the last 15 months trying to find an end to this conflict, trying to get those hostages back home. Senior administration officials are hoping that that could potentially be within grasp in the coming week.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Our thanks to our White House reporter there.
We're joined now by the father of Itay Chen, a dual American-Israeli citizen, who was killed on October 7th. His body taken and held by Hamas to this day.
[11:45:00]
Ruby Chen just visited Qatar along with his wife to speak with negotiators in person. He joins us now from Tel Aviv. Ruby, always good to talk to you. Thanks so much for joining.
RUBY CHEN, FATHER OF ITAY CHEN, IDF SOLDIER KILLED ON OCT. 7TH: Yeah, and day 465 the last time that I talked to my son.
SCIUTTO: Every time I see you, you update that number there, and I know that's a burden that you carry. Let me ask you first, you've heard optimism before, I've heard it before, and it hasn't ended with a deal. Do you trust this latest bout of optimism here that a deal is within reach in the coming days?
CHEN: Well, I think that was the catalyst exactly why me and my wife decided to go ourselves to Qatar and to highlight the fact that there are seven U.S. citizens that were taken by Hamas, and this deal that is coming down must include all of the seven U.S. citizens coming out. We feel that our voice, as is the families, is not always in top of it, or conveyed in a way that is correct by the Israeli negotiators. And as such, I took upon myself the task of going to Qatar, speaking to the representatives of the Qatar Prime Minister, Minister of State, national security advisor, to explain exactly what the families want. That is a deal that includes all of the hostages, that there is a guarantee as much as possible, and we're able to move from phase one to phase two, and that the U.S. citizens must be highlighted in this deal to make sure that they do come out.
SCIUTTO: It's your understanding, based on what you know, at least of the outlines of the deal, that your son would not be included in the first phase. Is that correct?
CHEN: Yes. The list that came out a couple of weeks ago that detailed the list of the Israelis provided to the negotiators did not include my son. And I immediately asked the officials of the United States that are working on this, from Mr. Brett McGurk that we met in Qatar, as well as the National Security Advisor team, how is it that the U.S. citizens are not prioritized? When did it become acceptable for terrorists worldwide to take U.S. citizens, and what will prevent this from happening again and again to U.S. citizens if you allow these citizens to be left behind?
We are very concerned that this administration was not able to bring these U.S. citizens home. We commend President Tom for at least the language that he has been using, and we hope to believe that he would be able to prioritize, he and his team. We spoke also to Steve Witkoff a number of times, and we hope to believe that that point and highlighting the U.S. citizens will come about in these talks that are happening now.
SCIUTTO: Now, you went to Qatar to meet with Qatari officials as well as Americans there because you say you don't have confidence anymore in your Israeli representatives. Why is that?
CHEN: I believe that the politicians, the government of the State of Israel, have been prioritizing other issues than the release of all of the hostages. I have faith in the negotiators themselves, but they need to adhere to guidance that they receive from the government, and I believe that exactly at that point that there is a gap between what we, the families, are asking from the government to what is being presented by the negotiators. We, as U.S. citizens, also communicate directly with Mr. Brett McGurk that has been on the ground in Qatar for a number of days, and we want to thank him for continuing his plight of trying to bring a deal together for us, and also meeting Ambassador Tim Davis, the U.S. Ambassador to cut up, and having them know exactly what we are asking them, which is to wing out all of the U.S. citizens, including my son, in this deal, and guarantee the fact that at least the suffering to the U.S. citizens will end as soon as possible.
SCIUTTO: As you know, in previous rounds of negotiations, it's been the opposition of some of Netanyahu's right-wing parties in government, including Bezalel Smotrich, Itamar Ben-Gvir, that stood in the way of a deal because they've said they don't want to ceasefire until, in their view, Hamas is destroyed.
[11:50:00]
Are you concerned that their opposition might scuttle this latest round of negotiations?
CHEN: Well, it has happened in the past, and it is very unfortunate that the Prime Minister is listening to a very small minority of the Jewish people. It has been constantly polled the question here in Israel, are you willing for the release of all the hostages to have a long-term ceasefire? And 75 percent of the Jewish population is in favor of such a deal.
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
CHEN: I think that it is time for the Prime Minister to show leadership, and would also like to remember the Prime Minister that you should remember his brother many, many years ago that was tasked with bringing hostages out --
SCIUTTO: Yeah.
CHEN: -- and rescuing them from Entebbe, got all of them out. He did not go out and only get 20 of them, and said, you know what? I'll come the next day and bring the others back. Now, he brought all of them back, and I'd like to remind the Prime Minister that is what expected from him, bring them all back.
SCIUTTO: Well, Ruby, it's always good to talk to you. When I see the pictures of your son's face again, I can only imagine the pain that you and your wife continue to go through. But, we wish you both well, and we wish your family finally gets your son home.
CHEN: So, we will be next week at the inauguration, Jim, and we hope that this will be a happy event, that with President Trump, he and his team would be able to help push the fact that these U.S. citizens, including my son, would be able to come back. I pray to God that when we meet the President, he would say to me, yeah, I've done what I needed to do. Here is your son, just as President Reagan was able to do many, many years ago with the U.S. hostages coming out of Iran. And there again, everyone came out. No one was left behind, and they need all to come out.
SCIUTTO: Ruby Chen, thanks so much.
And we'll be right back.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
SCIUTTO: Before we go, one more thing. So many residents affected by the fires in Southern California are sharing their harrowing stories with CNN on how they fled when forced to evacuate, and what they faced when returning to their homes and their neighborhoods, only to find their homes in ruins.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I took my son. We ran to the car and he was scared. He was crying. I was scared. It's OK. I'm trying to be calm and try to get out of the Palisades as fast as we could.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I dropped to my knees and I just started praying. Please, God, please just save my house.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I'm ready to jump into the ocean. All the firemen, they got the hell out of here. They evacuated quickly and I should have followed suit.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We started piling up the Torahs (ph) in the back of my car. I checked with my husband. I couldn't see him. There was so much smoke. I checked with him. Do you have all of them? And he said, I think so. And we just left.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: And he was walking around with his lantern in the house. Chase and I were talking to him. We were on FaceTime. And he said, he'll be fine. I'll be here when you guys come back. He was in his bed when I found him.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: It was so fast. A friend was able to go to the neighborhood once it had completely burned down and send us a video and that's when we found out for sure.
[11:55:00] UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: The idea of trying to figure out where we're going to be for the next month, where we're going to have this baby. We had so many friends and a massive support group there that I was really planning to lean on and losing them is like, it's almost harder than losing our home.
NIC ARNZEN, VICE CHAIR, ALTADENA TOWN COUNCIL: I probably only have a dozen or so homes in my census track. It's like half the town is gone. It's just too overwhelming. We're just living with the clothes on our back and lucky to have friends that are bringing us in.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think everybody just needs to understand that they've done their best. And as long as they're with their family and they have their lives, life is long and I think we have that to look forward to.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
SCIUTTO: Those poor families, so much suffering. Again, for more information about how you can help the victims of the Los Angeles County wildfire, please do go to cnn.com/impact. There are lots of good ideas there.
Thanks so much for spending part of your day with me. I'm Jim Sciutto in New York today. Stick with CNN. One World is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
