Why have US fires become so destructive so quickly?

Arab Weather - A series of fierce wildfires broke out in the Los Angeles area on Tuesday, as a result of strong winds and dry conditions. These fires destroyed hundreds of homes and killed at least five people, in addition to many injuries.

Where did the fires occur?

1. Palisades Fire: Started Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades east of Malibu, and had grown to more than 15,000 acres by Wednesday afternoon.
2. Eaton Fire: Started Tuesday night in a valley within the national forest north of central Los Angeles and had grown to more than 10,000 acres by Wednesday.
3. Hearst Fire: Started in Sylmar, north of San Fernando, and quickly grew to 500 acres.
4. Sunset Fire: Erupted in the Hollywood Hills near Runyon Canyon just before 6 p.m. Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuations.

Number of affected people

1. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated due to the Eaton Fire, while another 100,000 have received evacuation warnings.
2. Evacuation orders have been issued for about 37,000 people in the path of the Palisades Fire, including residents of Calabasas, Malibu and Los Angeles.
3. In the Sylmar area, more than 3,000 people were affected by evacuation orders.

Human losses

1. Five people were killed, with no further details available on the cause of death.
2. Many serious injuries in the Palisades and Eaton fires, especially among those who did not heed evacuation orders.

The extent of the destruction

1. 1,000 homes and businesses damaged in Palisades Fire, 100 buildings destroyed in Eaton Fire.
2. Footage from Malibu showed beachfront homes reduced to rubble.
3. Economic losses were estimated at more than $10 billion, according to insurance analyses.

Malibu's iconic sand castles are crumbling… one at a time. This has been a numbing and terrifying 14 hours in California history. pic.twitter.com/JmHym7tyQK

— Jonathan Vigliotti (@JonVigliotti) January 8, 2025

Santa Ana Winds and Their Impact on Southern California Wildfires

The Santa Ana winds are dry, hot winds that blow from east to west across the mountains of Southern California, and are formed by the difference in air pressure between the desert and low-pressure areas near the coast, such as Los Angeles.

• Wind origin: It begins in the Great Basin of the United States east of California, and rushes toward the coast.
• Peak season: Mostly occurs between September and May, especially in the cooler months.

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Climatic characteristics:

1. As the wind decreases in altitude, its temperature increases and its humidity decreases.
2. It causes drought and contributes to fires by drying out plants.

How do Santa Ana winds affect wildfires?

1. Strong Santa Ana winds are fanning the fire, making it more difficult to control.
2. Winds reached more than 75 mph on Wednesday, further spreading the burning embers.
3. Winds are downing power lines, increasing the risk and hampering firefighting efforts.

Fire Fighting Challenges

1. Firefighters were unable to contain the three largest fires due to strong winds.
2. Strong winds knocked out power to more than 1.54 million homes and businesses, according to PowerOutage.us.
3. SoCal Edison used a safety shutoff strategy, leaving 173,000 customers without power, with an additional 425,000 customers potentially affected.

Santa Ana winds, along with drought and severe weather conditions, are a dangerous combination that is exacerbating wildfires in Southern California, threatening lives and property.

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Sources:

nbcnews