A string of fierce wildfires broke out Tuesday and surged throughout the Los Angeles area, destroying hundreds of houses and killing at least five people. The fires were fueled by strong winds and dry conditions.
Two of the fires were linked to an undetermined number of serious injuries, according to a Los Angeles county fire official, and a city official in the city called Tuesday night “one of the most devastating and terrifying” that she had ever seen in her area.
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According to climate scientist Daniel Swain, “the more information we get, the worse this looks.”
What we know about the flames is as follows.
Where are the fires?
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The Palisades Fire
erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles County neighborhood east of Malibu, as a brush fire. The blaze had grown to more than 15,000 acres by Wednesday afternoon,according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
.
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The Eaton Fire
ignited Tuesday night near a canyon in the sprawling national forest lands north of downtown Los Angeles and had exploded to more than 10,000 acres by Wednesday,according to the U.S. Forest Service
.
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The Hurst Fire
started Tuesday night in Sylmar, a suburban neighborhood north of San Fernando, as a brush fire and quickly grew to 500 acres, Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristen Crowley said.
How many people are affected?
According to law enforcement and fire officials, some 37,000 residents in the cities of Calabasas, Malibu, Los Angeles, and Pacific Palisades were told to evacuate their homes due to the Palisades Fire.
Pasadena Mayor Victor Gordo told reporters Wednesday that another 100,000 people had been forced to leave the Eaton Fire, and another 100,000 people had indicated that they could have to leave since they reside in a dangerous area.
Crowley added that emergency evacuation orders were in effect for around 3,000 residents in the Sylmar area.
Have there been deaths and injuries?
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said that a large number of people had been injured in the Eaton Fire.
According to Luna, the fire has claimed the lives of five persons. He had no further information regarding their deaths.
According to Marrone, the Palisades Fire has harmed a sizable number of persons who disregarded evacuation instructions.
How much damage have the fires done?
“There is a lot of damage out there,” Luna said reporters.
According to Marrone, the Palisades fire destroyed 1,000 homes and businesses, while the Eaton fire damaged another 100.The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center burnt overnight, according to NBC Los Angeles, and footage showed other shops in a busy commercial neighborhood of Altadena in flames.
Beachfront mansions in Malibushow were turned to rubble in the video.
According to an early analysis by insurance analysts at J.P. Morgan, the fires may cause losses exceeding $10 billion.
California’s deadliest wildfire ever The report’s authors estimated that the 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed over 13,000 buildings and claimed 85 lives, caused damages of over $15 billion.
What led to the fires?
Southern California has experienced less than 10% of its usual rainfall since October 1st due to drought-like conditions, and strong offshore winds struck the area on Tuesday, resulting in fire weather that was, according to the National Weather Service, “about as bad as it gets.”
A red flag warning was issued by the government to 19 million individuals, signifying a higher risk of fire danger. At many sites throughout the region, wind gusts above 70 mph were observed.
According to Swain, one of the main causes of the fire weather that is engulfing the state is the recent weather whiplash that California has seen, which has seen the state veer between periods of drought and intense rainfall.
According to Inside Climate News, he stated, “It’s not just that drier conditions are perpetually more likely in a warming climate.” “It s that this oscillation back and forth between states is something that is particularly consequential for wildfire risk in Southern California.”
When will the fire weather end?
Parts of Southern California will continue to be under red flag warnings until Friday. Marrone cautioned locals that they are still in risk in his remarks on Wednesday.
“Please prioritize your safety as well as the well-being of those around you, as we come together to continue to get through this widespread disaster,” he stated.
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