According to LA city fire chief Kristin Crowley, “widespread, destructive, and life-threatening winds are already here.”
As powerful winds swept across the arid region surrounding Los Angeles, where two large blazes have been blazing for a week, millions of people in Southern California were issued new wildfire alerts, and tens of thousands lost power.
It was predicted that the Santa Ana winds, which had started to blow over the mountains before dawn, would continue to be strong enough to spread fire-sparking embers for kilometers and fuel new outbreaks throughout an area where at least 24 people had already lost their lives.
Kristin Crowley, the city fire chief for Los Angeles, stated at a press conference on Tuesday that “widespread, destructive, and life-threatening winds are already here.”
Crews across a 482-kilometer radius from San Diego to the far north of Los Angeles were on high alert due to the higher fire risk in much of Southern California.
Inland regions north of Los Angeles, including as the heavily populated Thousand Oaks, Northridge, and Simi Valley, which are home to over 300,000 people, were at the highest risk, according to forecasters.
In an effort to keep their lines from starting fresh fires, companies turned off power to around 90,000 homes.
Unusual caution
A uncommon caution was included in Tuesday’s forecast: the winds and extremely dry weather have produced a “particularly dangerous situation,” which means that any new fire could grow to enormous proportions.
Red-flag warnings, which are currently in effect from Central California to the Mexican border, will last for the majority of Wednesday, according to weather service meteorologist Ariel Cohen. Gusts will intensify throughout the evening and into Wednesday before subsiding.
While personnel and fire engines deployed to especially hazardous areas with dry vegetation, planes sprayed bright pink fire-retardant chemicals on buildings and hillsides.
Karen Bass, the mayor of Los Angeles, and other officials who faced criticism for their earlier response said they are certain the area is prepared to handle the current danger.
“I was able to fly over the disaster areas,” the mayor stated, comparing them to the aftermath of a “dry hurricane.”
According to LA County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone, winds this time were not predicted to reach the same high speeds as those observed last week, but they might still cause firefighting planes to be grounded.
When winds hit 112 kph, he cautioned, “it’s going to be very difficult to contain that fire.”
He advised those who are homeless to seek shelter and refrain from lighting fires to stay warm.
LA is seeing an increase in wildfires.
The brush-filled region has seen over a dozen wildfires this year, primarily in the greater Los Angeles area, with nearly no rain in over eight months.
Firefighters have been scurrying to put out tiny fires. One such fire was put out fast on Monday night in a dry riverbed close to Oxnard. According to Ventura County Fire Department spokesperson Andrew Dowd, “We have helicopters ready to go, to drop water on any new fires.”
Over 163 square kilometers—roughly three times the area of Manhattan—have been burned by the four largest flames surrounding the country’s second-largest metropolis.
The greatest fire in the Pacific Palisades on the coast was much less contained than the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, which was about one-third contained.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, the fatality toll is probably going to increase. He claimed on Tuesday that at least two dozen persons were still unaccounted for. Some individuals who were previously reported missing have been located.
