Wildfires raging in Los Angeles, California have so far killed at least 10 people, destroyed hundreds of buildings and displaced nearly 180,000 residents.
The raging fire is wreaking havoc in the region, threatening further loss of life and property.
Thousands of firefighters are working day and night to control the fire, but despite their efforts, the biggest fire could not be controlled. The BBC.
Given the current weather conditions and the effects of climate change, the forest fire is expected to continue for several days.
What are the updates?
In LA, about 179,000 have been ordered to evacuate and people are fleeing their homes with what few belongings they could carry.
More than 200,000 people have also been warned to evacuate, meaning they may need to leave their homes soon.
10,000 buildings have been destroyed by the fire and another 60,000 are threatened.
National Guard troops have been deployed in vacant and vacant lots to prevent looting. According to the police, they have made 20 arrests.
According to California fire officials, at least five fires are burning in the area:
- The Palisades is the first fire to break out Tuesday. It is the largest fire in the region and could become the most destructive fire in state history as it has burned 20,000 acres, including the Pacific Palisades.
- Eaton has struck north of LA and is the second largest fire in the area as it has burned nearly 14,000 acres. Wildfire is 0% contained.
- The Hearst fire, burning north of San Fernando, started Tuesday night and is burning through 670 acres.
- Lydia ripped through the Acton area north of LA on Wednesday afternoon and spread over 350 acres of land. 60% of the fire has been contained.
- A new fire, “Kenneth,” broke out Thursday on the border of L.A. and Ventura counties. It has destroyed 1000 acres of land.
Before the fire broke out and left a scorched landscape in its wake, LA’s fire chief warned that budget cuts were affecting the department’s ability and capacity to respond to emergencies. is CBS News.
What caused the fires and did climate change play a role?
Downtown LA has only received 0.16 inches of rain since October of last year. A combination of dry weather and powerful sea breezes known as the Santa Ana winds have created conditions ripe for wildfires to start.
Winds blow from east to west through the Southern California mountains and can be largely responsible for the destruction that follows.
Winds blow further inland into deserts and create conditions where humidity decreases and dries out vegetation. If a fire starts, winds can fan small embers in minutes.
Forecasters have warned residents and officials that another Santa Ana wind event will occur and move through Thursday night (local time).
Experts say that the chances of such fires are increasing due to climate change.
The western United States, including the state of California, went through a decades-long drought that ended just two years ago.
Research conducted by the US government leaves no doubt that climate change is linked to larger and more severe wildfires in the west of the country.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states that “Climate change, including increased warming, longer droughts, and a thirstier environment, has been a key driver in increasing the risk and extent of wildfires in the western United States.”
Southern California’s fire season lasts from May to October, but the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, has pointed out that the fires have become a problem.
“It’s not fire season,” he said. “This is the year of fire”.