Wildfires, evacuations across California’s Los Angeles: What we know

Wildfires, evacuations across California’s Los Angeles: What we know

As wildfires that started on Tuesday ripped through the city of Los Angeles, causing evacuations and power outages, have been declared in California as a state of emergency and two people have been reported dead.

The third-largest state in the United States, California has frequently been swept by wildfires, especially in the south.

What we know about the fires, their effects, and the most recent news from the ground are listed below.

When and where did the Los Angeles wildfires start?

At 10: 30am (18: 30GMT) on Tuesday, the first wildfire began&nbsp, in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire).

This affluent neighbourhood, which lies between the Santa Monica mountains and the Pacific Ocean, is about 32 kilometres (20 miles) west of downtown Los Angeles.

]Al Jazeera]

What areas of Los Angeles are affected by wildfires, and how much of them have burned?

Nearly 1, 200 hectares (3, 000 acres) of land had been burned in that first Pacific Palisades fire by Tuesday evening, according to Cal Fire.

Around 6pm (02: 00 GMT) on Tuesday, a second blaze, called the Eaton Fire, broke out some 50km (30 miles) inland near Pasadena, and doubled in size to 162 hectares (400 acres) in just a few hours.

In Sylmar, in the San Fernando Valley northwest of Los Angeles, a third blaze known as the Hurst Fire started.

Together, the three fires have burned through 2, 285 hectares (5, 648 acres).

How many people have been killed in the LA wildfires?

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney stated on Wednesday morning that the Eaton fire had resulted in two fatalities and that there had been “a significant number of serious injuries to residents” in the Palisades blaze.

One female firefighter was inflicted with a head injury in the Palisades fire, according to a fire official who was speaking to a local television station, KTLA.

The Palisades blaze has caused no injuries.

Are wildfires in LA spreading farther away?

Yes, it appears so. According to US media reports, homes close to Malibu have already been torn up as the fires have already spread north.

On Tuesday afternoon, Santa Monica went out issuing evacuation orders, and Malibu went out on Tuesday evening.

Have any buildings been damaged?

The Getty Villa Museum, one of the world’s richest art museums, which houses ancient Greece and Rome, was destroyed by the Palisades fire, which also destroyed some trees and vegetation.

The museum stated in a post on social media platform X that “staff and the collection remain safe” and that no structures had caught fire.

The Eaton fire engulfed a McDonald’s branch and the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Centre, but staff at the latter safely evacuated with their holy books, including Torahs, Melissa Levy, the temple’s executive director told The New York Times.

James Woods, an American actor, reported property damage at his Pacific Palisades residence.

The California wildfire is being caused by the winds from Santa Ana.

The cause of these fires has not been determined by authorities. However, winter-time wildfires are not unusual in California because of the region’s “Santa Ana” winds, which dry out vegetation and make them more susceptible to fire.

Due to atmospheric pressure changes and the season’s cooler temperatures, these are frequently associated with Southern California’s dry, warm, and strong winds.

When the Great Basin, a large, dry region in western US, is pushed by high pressure, the Great Basin creates Santa Ana winds that push the air further away from the coast. As the air sinks through mountain ranges and valleys, it loses moisture, compresses and accelerates, becoming warmer and faster.

The region’s geography, including the orientation of the mountains and valleys, directs the winds towards Southern California and the Pacific Ocean coast.

Experts say this winter has been particularly threatening.

On a livestream on Monday, Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, stated that “we really haven’t seen a season as dry as this one follow a season as wet as the previous one.”

The intense Santa Ana winds have been linked to some of Southern California’s worst wildfires, including the Franklin fire in December 2024 which burned more than 1, 600 hectares (4, 000 acres) of the Malibu area, and damaged or destroyed almost 50 homes.

The National Weather Service issued its highest alert for severe fires covering the entirety of Los Angeles County on Saturday, which ran through Friday through Tuesday.

When will the fires stop?

The fires won’t be contained quickly, according to experts and government officials.

Forecasters said the seasonal winds could develop into the worst windstorm in a decade, with gusts of up to 160km/h (100mph) expected. Typically, wind gusts above 64km/h (40mph) can begin to cause damage to trees and infrastructure and become concerning.

“It’s going to be, I think, a rough night. And what is happening right now is only the start because the weather will start to get worse, according to meteorologist Daniel Swain.

In a post on X early on Wednesday, LA Mayor Karen Bass warned that “the windstorm is expected to worsen through the morning.”

Because of the persistent winds, Cal Fire reported on Wednesday morning that none of the three fires in Los Angeles had been contained. Firefighters have been attempting to cut back vegetation and create breaks in the blaze in the Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica hills&nbsp through the steep terrain.

What will happen next?

A “Particularly Dangerous Situation” red flag warning has been issued for 19 million people in parts of Southern California. This warning is usually issued only “in rare situations when long-lived, strong and violent tornadoes are possible”, according to the National Weather Service. It was last issued during the December 2024 Franklin Fire which scorched approximately 1, 633 hectares (4, 037 acres), damaged or destroyed 48 structures, and was fully contained by December 18.

Amid all this, power outages have also hit the city. CBS News reported that as of 12: 30am local time (08: 30 GMT) on Wednesday, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power had reported about 127, 000 customers as being without power. Data from PowerOutage. Late on Tuesday, US data revealed that more than 220 000 homes and businesses in Los Angeles County were without power.

evcuate
Elderly patients are quickly evacuated into emergency vehicles]Josh Edelson/AFP]

What action is being taken?

Schools have been closed, and tens of thousands of people have been forced to leave the affected areas. Some Hollywood events have been cancelled.

More than 30, 000 people have been evacuated, with many fleeing on foot after traffic crawled to a halt. Evacuees from the Palisades and Hurst fires have received emergency shelters, and pets from Palisades and Eaton fires have also been provided with shelter.

The Los Angeles Zoo announced that it would remain closed on Wednesday, while 18 other school districts reported closures, according to the Los Angeles County Office of Education. On Wednesday, the Screen Actors Guild Awards’ in-person nomination event was called.

The National Weather Service&nbsp, urged people to stay inside and away from windows during the windstorm.

Source: Aljazeera

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