Strong winds are expected again on Monday night (13) in Los Angeles, threatening the progress firefighters have made in recent days against the devastating wildfires ravaging the city.
Forecasters issued a fire danger alert from Monday night through Wednesday morning (15). This is the same level of alert that was issued a week ago when strong gusts of wind fueled some of the deadliest and most destructive fires in California’s history.
In anticipation of the new threat, firefighting teams have been mobilized to high-risk areas, including around the Palisades fire, officials said. Although the winds in the coming days may not be as strong as last week’s, their duration could worsen the fire risk.
Here’s an update on the situation as of early afternoon on Monday (13):
Fire Containment
Firefighters have slowed the progress of the Eaton fire, near Altadena and Pasadena, over the weekend. The 14,000-acre fire did not grow on Sunday and was 33% contained by Monday morning (13), according to Cal Fire, while the 23,700-acre Palisades fire on the west side of Los Angeles was 14% contained.
Death Toll
The Eaton fire has killed 16 people, making it one of the deadliest in California’s history, and at least eight people have died in the Palisades fire. Another 16 people are reported missing in the areas of the two fires, and authorities warned that the death toll is likely to rise.
Scale of Destruction
The total area burned by last week’s fires — nearly 40,000 acres — is larger than the city limits of San Francisco. And while the number of people under evacuation orders has slightly decreased to 92,000, down from over 100,000 on Sunday, new families have been warned that they may have to evacuate in the coming days. The largest fires have damaged more than 12,000 structures, including homes, cars, and buildings.
How It All Started
While it is still unclear what ignited the fires, power lines near the Eaton and Palisades fires were energized when the fires began and may have played a role. “We are looking at all angles,” said Dominic Choi, assistant chief of the Los Angeles Police Department, on Monday (13), adding that arson has not been ruled out as a cause.
When Will It End
Los Angeles is expected to have a reprieve from the fires by the end of this week, said Rich Thompson of the National Weather Service. Wind speeds are expected to drop on Thursday (16) and remain low throughout the weekend, potentially contributing to the reduction and even containment of the fires.
Source: The New York Times