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California firefighters are trying to contain fast-moving, deadly wildfires which began in Pacific Palisades last week before dry winds returned and escalated the fires.
The Palisades and Eaton fires, along with other smaller fires, have spread to nearly 37,000 acres in just a few days. The fire is kindled due to a fierce storm known as Santa Ana windswhich could return early next week, warn meteorologists.
Parts of Southern California are under red flag warnings from the National Weather Service starting Saturday evening and continuing through Sunday evening, as high winds, low humidity and the inability to return rain pose a risk of re-ignition or fueling the fire.
The areas that stretch from Anaheim to Temecula to Big Bear City and Wrightwood are under red flag warnings. Officials reminded people to stay alert and be prepared with a fire plan.
At least 11 people were killed, officials said fast moving flames force almost 150,000 inhabitants to evacuate their property via California. Hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses have been left in blackout conditions, and schools in affected areas are closing their doors.
From Saturday, January 11, Palisades Fire contains 11 percent, while Eaton Fire contains 15 percent.
New evacuation orders were issued for the Brentwood neighborhood and parts of the San Fernando Valley on January 10.
California Governor Gavin Newsom announced that more than 7,500 local, state and federal fire personnel and 1,200 fire engines have been deployed to try to tackle the fast-moving fires.
President Joe Biden told California officials to “spare no expense,” noting that the federal government will cover “100 percent of the cost” for the next 180 days.
Where are the fires burning right now?
The first and largest fire is burning in Pacific Palisades, an affluent coastal neighborhood west of Los Angeles. It started around 10:30 a.m. on January 7 and has burned more than 22,661 hectares.
Around 6:30 p.m. on January 7, the Eaton Fire broke out in the Altadena area, north of Pasadena, and burned more than 14,000 acres.
The Hurst Fire in the San Fernando Valley has burned about 771 acres and is about 80 percent contained as of Jan. 11.
Another fire, the Kenneth Fire, broke out on the afternoon of January 9 and has now burned 1,052 acres near the Los Angeles-Ventura County line. As of Saturday morning, it was in 50 percent control.
“Swept by strong Santa Ana winds, the fire is threatening nearby communities and infrastructure, prompting emergency evacuation orders,” the agency wrote on its website. “Firefighters from Los Angeles and Ventura counties are actively engaged in containment efforts, deploying both ground crews and aerial resources.”
The Hurst Fire broke out near San Fernando on Jan. 7 and burned nearly 800 acres. As of Saturday, it was 76 percent contained. Another fire nearby, called the Archer Fire, started on January 10.
What areas are being evacuated?
About 200,000 residents were reported to have been evacuated across Southern California.
Many of the evacuations were in the Pacific Palisades area, but others were in parts of Santa Monica and Altadena, with a mandatory evacuation order for the region between Piedra Morada Drive and Pacific Coast Highway due to hazardous conditions.
A few Hollywood stars – including Ben Affleck, Tom Hanks, Rita Wilson and Mark Hamill, were forced to flee.
Live: Evacuation Order Areas in Los Angeles County
The Eaton fire alone has prompted tens of thousands of evacuation orders, Angeles National Forest officials added. City spokeswoman Lisa Derderian said at least 550 homes are in evacuation zones after the Eaton Canyon fire.
“We were having dinner with the family and we just had to leave because the fire was coming so fast,” said Darinka Whitmore of Eaton Canyon in Altadena, who escaped with her husband and their four children. The New York Times. “We just grabbed our backpacks and our kids and our dogs.”
Were there any casualties?
The number of dead since January 11 is 11. There are also many injured, but the exact number is not known.
Identified victims include 83-year-old grandfather Rodney Nickerson; 66-year-old Victor Shaw; 67-year-old father Anthony Mitchell and his early-20s son, Justin Mitchell; and grandmother of Erliene Kelly.
What causes fires?
Fast-growing wildfires are fueled by a a weather phenomenon known as the Santa Ana winds.
Santa Anas are dry, warm, and gusty northeasterly winds that blow from Nevada and Utah to southern California toward the coast. They move in the opposite direction of the normal overland flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region.
The name is thought to be related to the Santa Ana Canyon in Orange County, but the weather has other nicknames such as “devil winds” or “red wind”.
Gusts subsided on January 9, but Santa Ana winds are expected to pick up again early next week, The Weather Channel registered. A red flag warning, which indicates the danger of fire, is in effect over the weekend.
What did the officials say?
“We are by no means out of the woods,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday afternoon. “I saw firsthand the impact of these swirling winds and embers and the number of structures that were destroyed. Not a few, many structures have already been destroyed.”
Newsom dismissed claims of dwindling water supplies after President-elect Donald Trump extended the rumors and accused firefighters of not using ocean water to “protect the little fish.”
“Generally speaking, there is currently no water shortage in Southern California, despite Trump’s claims that he will open some imaginary opening,” the governor said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency due to the Palisades fire. “The city is working aggressively to address this emergency,” she said.
On Thursday, Bass urged residents to “conserve water as much as you can” as firefighters battle the historic blaze. She said, “But make no mistake, Los Angeles will rebuild stronger than ever.”