Wildfire in Malibu prompts evacuation orders in Southern California

The US National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning for the area through Saturday evening, noting that high winds and low humidity could increase the risk of high wildfire activity. The Guardian US reports that moderate to strong Santa Ana winds are expected to bring widespread strong winds and critical fire weather conditions to much of southwest California through Saturday. These warnings follow a period where Californians have experienced a heatwave and storm surge.

In response to the Palisades and Eaton fires, which destroyed more than 16,000 homes and structures in and around Los Angeles, California officials on Thursday ordered mortgage lenders to report on how they have handled insurance payouts to survivors. The California Business and Consumer Services Agency and the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation are seeking to accelerate the release of insurance proceeds held by lenders before they are distributed to homeowners.

The Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has received over 160 complaints regarding payment delays or other issues since January 2025. Rohit Chopra, secretary of the Business and Consumer Services Agency, stated that it is unacceptable for wildfire survivors to lack access to necessary funds after filing insurance claims. Lenders have been given two weeks to submit their reports.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, The Guardian US, Fortune — 3 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.