Wildfires latest: Thousands flee Los Angeles as blazes burn in and around the city
Forest fires tore through the Los Angeles area with devastating force on Wednesday after a desperate escape from burning homes through flames, high winds and towering clouds of smoke.
Flames broke out on Tuesday evening near a nature reserve in the inland foothills northeast of LA as another fire that had started hours earlier raged through the city Pacific Palisades neighbourhood. A third wildfire started around 10:30 p.m. and prompted evacuations in Sylmar, Los Angeles’ northernmost neighborhood. The causes of all three fires are under investigation.
Here’s the latest:
Generally, it starts in June or July and continues through October, according to the Western Association of Fire Chiefs.
However, January’s wildfires are not unprecedented, with one in 2022 and 10 in 2021, according to CalFire.
Recent data shows that the season is starting earlier and ending later due to rising temperatures and reduced rainfall associated with climate change. That means rainstorms that normally end fire season are often delayed, allowing fires to burn throughout the winter months, the association says.
The National Weather Service is receiving reports of wind speeds up to 80 miles per hour this morning. They can reach a top speed of 100 miles per hour in mountains and foothills, including areas that have not received substantial rain for months.
Red flag warnings indicate extremely critical fire conditions. These include exceptionally dry relative humidity levels, according to Peter Mullinax, a meteorologist with the weather service.
He says winds are also expected to continue through Thursday, “which will provide little relief.”
Sunrise is in just over an hour.
Overnight, the images were grim: The skeleton of a Christmas tree was framed in a burning window in the Pacific Palisades.
Opulent homes collapsed in a whirlwind of flaming embers.
The tops of palm trees crashed against the glowing red sky.
Large clouds of smoke dwarfed the water dumped by helicopters trying to calm the flames.