Palisades fire spreads through Los Angeles homes
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Fast-moving wildfires in the Los Angeles area are getting out of control long after California’s normal fire season ends. Powerful Santa Ana winds are not uncommon at this time of year, but these winds arrive after months of drought. This combination has sparked a series of devastating fires that could be an indication of how climate change is changing the way fires occur in the state.
“While the Santa Ana Fire is not new to Southern California, this type of explosive fire event has never occurred before in January and only once in December,” he said. crystal golden At the University of California, Merced.
As of January 8, there were at least four wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The two largest fires were the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire, each burning more than 4,000 hectares (10,000 acres) in a single day. The fire has killed at least two people, destroyed at least 1,000 homes and forced tens of thousands to evacuate. The fire also threatens NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the Getty Museum.
Strong winds in Santa Ana reached up to 129 kilometers per hour (80 mph), fanning the flames and spreading them rapidly. The storm is expected to be the most intense since 2011 and will be accompanied by “very dangerous fire weather conditions.” Forecast lasting until Jan. 8 afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Fire weather could continue until January 10, making it difficult to extinguish the fire.
He said it was the latest in a “highly unlikely series of extreme climate and weather events” that had caused the intense fires. park williams at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Santa Ana is a feature of Southern California weather, but fall and winter rains typically limit fire impact. This year, such wet weather has not arrived yet, leaving the plants dry and on the verge of burning. In addition, a wet winter in 2023 encouraged growth, so there is more vegetation for fuel. Heatwaves and drought throughout 2024 have left the land arid.
The combination of large amounts of good fuel, drought and strong, hot, dry winds creates “the most explosive fire event imaginable,” Colden said.
Authorities are still investigating the cause of the fire. It will also take time to understand the role that climate change has played. But there’s reason to think it made the fire worse.
Above-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, likely due in part to climate change, are also contributing to the dry conditions. According to Daniel Swain At UCLA, these are High-pressure ocean ridges formed due to rising ocean temperatures That prevents wet weather carried by the jet stream from reaching Southern California.
This type of high-pressure weather has been occurring more frequently in the region over the past 50 years, which could be a sign of climate change, it said. Daniel Cairn at the University of California, San Diego.
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Source: www.newscientist.com
