Los Angeles, which has been ravaged by wildfires for nearly ten days, has finally seen a weakening in the fire’s momentum. However, meteorologists are warning that the area still faces a risk of wildfires.
The red flag warning in the Los Angeles area, indicating ideal fire conditions with high winds and low humidity, was lifted on the evening of Wednesday, the 15th. Yet, the relief is expected to be temporary as a new red flag warning may be issued next Monday.
Currently, the wildfires in the Los Angeles area have claimed the lives of 25 individuals, a number that is projected to rise, with millions still facing a grave threat from the fires.
The fires have already destroyed or damaged over 12,000 homes and other structures, forcing up to 200,000 people to evacuate. The area affected by the wildfires is equivalent in size to the District of Columbia.
In the past few days, 8,500 firefighters from the United States, Canada, and Mexico have been successful in containing the spread of the fires.
The Palisades Fire has burned 23,713 acres to date with a containment rate of 22%. The Eaton Fire has destroyed 14,117 acres with a current containment rate of 55%.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, a relatively smaller new fire broke out in San Bernardino County, east of Los Angeles, on the 15th, scorching 34 acres.
The containment rates for two other fires in Southern California, the Hurst Fire and the Auto Fire, are 98% and 85% respectively.
As the wildfires continue to wreak havoc in Los Angeles, criticisms are emerging questioning whether the city has adequately prepared for the fire risks when faced with dangerous weather warnings – despite firefighters being on alert and able to deploy resources in advance.
During a news conference on Wednesday, Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley was asked about a report in the Los Angeles Times which stated that on January 7, when the fires intensified and spiraled out of control, officials decided not to require 1,000 firefighters to stay for a second shift.
The report in the LA Times cited former Los Angeles Fire Department officials who believed that the firefighters about to clock out from their shifts should have been kept on duty, and the decision to deploy only 5 of the 40 fire trucks to fight the blaze was also deemed a mistake.
The report further accused the department of only recalling off-duty firefighters after the Palisades Fire had already started.
Crowley defended her department by stating that they couldn’t accurately predict where the fires might erupt, and some firefighters had to remain in place to handle routine emergency fire calls, which could come from anywhere in Los Angeles at any time.
“We’ve done everything that we can to reinforce,” Crowley said, adding that despite being “limited in capacity,” the staff was able to swiftly respond, seek support from other agencies, and issue pleas for help to off-duty firefighters on social media.