Los Angeles wildfire forces 30,000 to evacuate

Palisades fire grows to 2,921 acres, forcing 30,000 evacuations as winds worsen overnight.

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The Palisades fire in Southern California continues to grow, fueled by fierce winds, as firefighters face increasingly difficult conditions. By early evening on Tuesday, the blaze had scorched nearly 2,921 acres, forcing over 30,000 residents to evacuate.

The fire began around 10:30 a.m. at Piedra Morada Drive and has been exacerbated by extreme wind gusts, with more intense weather expected overnight.

UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swain warned that the worst of the wind event is still to come, with winds expected to peak between 10 p.m. Tuesday and 5 a.m. Wednesday. "This event is not only not over, but it is just getting started and will get significantly worse before it gets better," Swain said, adding that the strongest winds and lowest humidity were still ahead.

The high winds are hindering firefighting efforts, particularly air attacks. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone indicated that sustained winds of 30 to 40 mph could make air drops of water and retardant ineffective. "Extreme winds can disperse the retardant or water immediately, making it difficult to combat the fire from the air," Governor Gavin Newsom said during a visit to the site.

In addition to the Palisades fire, other fires ignited Tuesday evening in the region, further straining firefighting resources. A fire broke out in the foothills of Pasadena and quickly grew to 20 acres.

The Pasadena Fire Department responded, expressing concern about the fire's potential to spread rapidly in the high winds. Another fire ignited in the hills above Altadena near Eaton Canyon, burning around 400 acres by 8:14 p.m. and prompting evacuations in the area.

 

 

 

 

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The Palisades fire itself continues to threaten thousands of homes and businesses. Crews have been working to protect landmarks such as the Getty Villa and Palisades Charter High School.

The Reel Inn, a popular seafood restaurant in Malibu, appears to have been destroyed.

The National Weather Service issued a “particularly dangerous situation” warning for extreme fire danger in Los Angeles and eastern Ventura counties. This warning remains in effect until Thursday, with fire danger expected to remain high throughout the week. The weather service predicts that the ongoing windstorm will be the most destructive to hit the Los Angeles area since 2011.

Swain explained that the longer the wind event continues, the drier the vegetation will become, increasing fire risk. "Some of the strongest winds will be at the beginning of the event, but some of the driest vegetation will actually come at the end," Swain said, highlighting the extended period of high fire danger.

 

 

 

 

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The recent lack of precipitation and the hot summer have left vegetation in Southern California particularly dry, further exacerbating fire risks. "Southern California has experienced a particularly hot summer, followed by almost no precipitation during what is normally our wet season," said Alex Hall, director of the UCLA Center for Climate Science. "And all of this comes on the heels of two very rainy years, which means there is plenty of fuel for potential wildfires."

While climate change has not been directly linked to the intensity of wind events, Swain noted that it has increased the overlap between extreme wind events and dry vegetation conditions, creating a more dangerous fire environment.

Photo: Reuters

Governor Newsom emphasized that California is no longer experiencing a distinct fire season. "We were here not too long ago for the Franklin fire and a few weeks prior to that, the Mountain fire," Newsom said. "November, December, now January — there’s no fire season. It’s fire year. It’s year-round."

As the Palisades fire and others continue to burn, authorities are working around the clock to contain the blazes and protect residents from further harm.

A new wildfire, dubbed the "Eaton Fire," broke out near Pasadena on January 7, shortly after 6:15 p.m., in the Altadena area near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive. As of Tuesday at 7 p.m., the fire had spread to 400 acres with 0% containment, though officials had not confirmed any damage to nearby buildings or homes.

This fire comes on the heels of the Pacific Palisades fire, which has already forced thousands to evacuate.

Evacuation orders have been issued for areas east of Altadena Drive, including Kinneloa Cyn Road, Outpost Lane, Glen Springs Road, Coolidge Avenue, Roosevelt Avenue, Veranda Avenue, Kengary Lane, Fox Ridge Drive, and Canyon Close Road.

Additionally, several zones, including ALD-MENDOCINO, ALD-MOUNTLOWE, PAS-E014, PAS-E015, PAS-E016, and PAS-E017, are under evacuation warnings.