Los Angeles area may face strong winds on Tuesday, January 14, which could further fuel the wildfires that have been burning for over a week. The wildfires have already claimed the lives of more than 20 people and scorched an area equivalent to the size of the Washington, D.C. The upcoming Tuesday will be crucial for firefighting efforts.
The Santa Ana winds are expected to reach the Los Angeles area on Tuesday. The National Weather Service’s Meteorological Forecast Center predicts hurricane-force winds of up to 75 miles per hour (about 120 kilometers per hour) starting from early Tuesday morning, with gusts of 50 to 70 miles per hour expected on Wednesday.
On Monday night, the National Weather Service issued a “red flag warning” for the wildfire hazard in Southern California, stating that Tuesday’s weather will be “extremely dangerous”. Most areas surrounding Los Angeles are under an extreme wildfire hazard warning until Wednesday, including densely populated cities like Thousand Oaks, Northridge, and Simi Valley.
Kristin Crowley, the Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department, warned local residents, saying, “This situation is the worst, and we are not out of the woods yet.”
California state officials have pre-deployed firefighting teams to Los Angeles and other high-risk Southern California counties.
Aircraft have been spraying bright pink fire retardant chemicals on houses and hillsides, while firefighting teams and trucks are being stationed near highly flammable dry bushes. Dozens of water trucks have been added following last week’s two major fires, as fire hydrants have dried up.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other officials have stated that with the arrival of numerous firefighters from other parts of the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to support the region, the area is prepared to face new threats.
Anthony Marrone, the Chief of the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said, “We are absolutely better prepared.”
However, he also noted that although the Santa Ana winds are unlikely to reach hurricane strength as last week, they could affect the take-off and landing of firefighting aircraft. He warned that if the wind speeds reach 70 miles per hour (112 kilometers per hour), “controlling the fire will be very difficult”.
On Monday night, over 8,500 firefighters were active from both air and ground to successfully prevent the spread of fires on both ends of Los Angeles during the night.
However, in Ventura County to the northwest of Los Angeles, a small but rapidly spreading new fire broke out in the brush of the Santa Clara Riverbed, highlighting the current risks.
Ground firefighters and several helicopters are working to contain the fire. The fire has already burned over 56 acres near a golf course but has not yet posed a threat to residences.
The two largest wildfires in Southern California – the Palisades fire and Eaton fire – erupted on January 7. The Los Angeles County coroner revealed that the fires have claimed the lives of at least 24 people.
These wildfires have destroyed or damaged over 12,000 structures, turning entire communities into smoky ashes and ruins, depicting apocalyptic scenes.
As of Monday, over 92,000 residents in Los Angeles County have received evacuation orders, a decrease from the previous 150,000, with an additional 89,000 under evacuation warnings.
Cal Fire reported that the Palisades fire has ravaged upscale communities on the west side of Los Angeles, burning nearly 24,000 acres (approximately 96 square kilometers), with 14% of the fire contained.
The Eaton fire at the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains on the east side of Los Angeles scorched 14,000 acres (about 57 square kilometers) with 33% of the fire contained.
The third fire, the Hurst fire, spread nearly 800 acres (about 3.2 square kilometers) and is now 95% contained, while three other fires in the county have been fully controlled in recent days.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna stated that human remains were being discovered daily in the burned areas of Altadena.
He said, “This is a very grim task,” and expects the confirmed death toll to continue to rise in the coming days.
California Governor Gavin Newsom stated that this wildfire could become the most destructive natural disaster in U.S. history. In terms of insurance losses, it is already the costliest wildfire.
Major commercial banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Bank of America, have announced plans to ease mortgage repayment conditions for those affected by the fires.
(This article references reports from Reuters and The Associated Press)