At least five people have been killed and thousands of homes have been destroyed by wildfires that have ravaged several neighborhoods in Los Angeles, California – the most densely populated area in the United States.
More than 130,000 people living in various areas of the city of Los Angeles have been ordered to evacuate as the fire, which started on Tuesday, continues to spread rapidly, due to strong winds.
So how big is the fire today, and how did it start?
What caused the California wildfires?
The first fire broke out in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles at 10:30am (18:30GMT) on Tuesday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).
Investigators are still trying to determine what caused the worst fires in the past, but there are a number of factors that could have contributed to the fire's success.
California usually burns in June and July, and lasts until October, but the fire has disrupted the calendar this year, erupting in January – the coldest winter months.
Southern California, where the fire is at, has been experiencing a drought and hasn't had much rain in months. Last year, less than four percent of Californians were affected by drought compared to nearly 60 percent this year. according to the US drought monitoring agency.
Climate change has contributed to an increase in the frequency, duration and location of wildfires, according to a report by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Therefore, dry conditions aided by the Santa Ana winds – the dry and hot winds that are common in the region – may have fueled the wildfires.
Dry desert air flows from the interior of the region to the coast and land. It helps with wildfires because it reduces the humidity in the area due to its dryness. This causes severe damage to plants and makes them susceptible to fire. For these reasons, any fire can start a fire, whether it is a cigarette, a car or an electrical cable.
Wind gusts of up to 100mph (160km/h) were recorded at higher elevations on Tuesday night, according to AccuWeather meteorologist Danielle Ehresman.
In addition to dry vegetation, Los Angeles also has other flammable materials such as low-hanging power lines and wooden telephone lines.
Santa Ana winds have been associated with California wildfires in the past, including the Woolsey fire in November 2018, which killed three people and destroyed 1,600 homes.
However, experts warn against that the weather is bad this year.
“We've never seen a dry season like this following a wet season – this much grass and vegetation following such strong winds while still being incredibly dry,” Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said Monday.
How big are the California fires?
Rapid spread
The fire started in the Palisades on the Pacific Ocean, and from there the fire quickly spread to other areas. A second fire broke out in Eaton at around 6pm (02:00 GMT) on Tuesday. A third fire broke out that same day in Sylmar, in the San Fernando Valley northwest of Los Angeles, called the Hurst fire.
Five more fires broke out in California on Wednesday: the Lidia, Sunset and Woodley fires in Los Angeles; the Olivas fire in Ventura and the Tyler fire in Riverside.
The amount of land burned
According to Cal Fire, here's how the large fire has burned since Wednesday night:
- Palisades: About 6,970 hectares (17,234 acres)
- Eaton: About 4,290 hectares (10,600 acres)
- Extent: About 346 hectares (855 acres)
- Lidia: About 140 hectares (348 acres)
- Sunset: About 17 hectares (43 acres)
The Woodley fire burned 30 acres (12 hectares) of land while the Olivas and Tyler fires both burned 11 acres (4.5 hectares) each.
Here's a comparison of aerial photos of the Pacific Coast Highway before and after the Palisades fire.
And here's Altadena before and after the Eaton fire.
To save
A fire zone refers to the area around the fire or containment line that the fire department has established to prevent it from spreading. A containment line can be any barrier around the fire, such as a deep trench dug in the dirt.
Fires in California are under control, which means there is no stopping them from spreading. The Palisades, Eaton and Sunset fires are zero percent contained, while the Hurst fire is 10 percent contained and the Lidia fire is 40 percent contained.
The Woodley, Olivas and Tyler fires are 100 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
How has the government responded?
The fire is out of control, according to the local fire department.
California Governor Gavin Newsom said in a press release Wednesday night that 7,500 firefighters are on the ground.
US President Joe Biden has canceled an upcoming trip to Italy to focus on the government's response to the fires, the White House said.
Biden wrote on his X account that his team has donated 5 tankers and 10 firefighting helicopters. However, strong winds have hindered rescue operations.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told a news conference that firefighters from six other states, including Nevada, are rushing to California. In addition, 250 engine companies employing 1,000 people were being relocated from Northern California to Southern California.
But the economy is shrinking.
A lack of water in the Palisades has overwhelmed firefighting equipment.
Janisse Quinones, head of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, told a press conference that Pacific Palisades relies on three tanks with a capacity of 3.78 million liters each. Quinones added that the need for water to put out fires at low altitudes is causing difficulties in filling water tanks at high altitudes.
The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) has issued an evacuation order for Hollywood, Hurst and Palisades. Click Here to view the LAFD evacuation map.
What's next?
Winds have weakened to about 30-50mph (50-80km/h), but the fire is still burning.
Unfortunately, winds are expected to pick up quickly Thursday night and Friday morning. However, this will not be as strong as the winds that fueled the fire on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The winds are forecast to ease by Friday, and the red flag fire warnings will be lifted by late that night.