As firefighters battled windy weather to suppress the out-of-control blazes, deadly wildfires continue to rage over the Los Angeles area.
However, what does the term “wildfire containment” mean?
Being contained does not imply that a fire has been put out entirely. Instead, it describes the extent to which a perimeter has been created around an active fire to stop it from spreading and consuming more area.
In order to put out a wildfire, firefighters construct containment lines around it using either natural barriers like rivers or other waterways or roads and highways. This is done to enclose the fire and prevent it from spreading.
By excavating broad trenches around a fire’s flank or by removing nearby vegetation and other fuel sources that could catch fire, containment lines can also be built.
According to the Western Fire Chiefs Association, a nonprofit organization composed of fire organization leaders from western U.S. states and Pacific islands, fire containment is typically expressed as a percentage that shows how much a fire has been contained.
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The Palisades Fire, which started in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu areas about a week ago, is the biggest fire in the greater Los Angeles area. As of Tuesday morning, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported that the fire had burnt over 23,000 acres and was just 17% contained. This indicates that around 14% of the perimeter has containment lines in place.
Over 14,000 acres of Altadena and Pasadena have been destroyed by the Eaton Fire, which is currently 35% contained. Cal Fire reports that the Hurst Fire, which burnt over 800 acres in the Sylmar area, is 97% contained.
Although containment is a useful measure of the success of firefighting activities, circumstances might alter as wildfires change or if the surrounding environment gets better or worse.
For example, over the next few days, Santa Ana winds are predicted to create dangerous fire conditions in sections of Ventura and Los Angeles counties in Southern California. Windy and dry weather is ideal for fresh ignitions to spread quickly and frequently aids in the growth of already-existing fires.
Even so, fires that are completely confined may burn for a while. However, removing the possibility of fires escaping the containment lines is the crucial tactic.