Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Year : 2, Issue: 21/strong>
CNN: Santa Ana winds are whipping Southern California on Tuesday, sparking fresh fears that progress made fighting wildfires that have scorched over 40,000 acres and left 27 dead could be reversed and more blazes could break out.
New wildfires have flared in San Diego County, but fire activity has already decreased significantly in the 80-acre Lilac Fire, which is now 10% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The Pala Fire was stopped at 17 acres, authorities reported Tuesday, and evacuation orders were lifted, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said.
Another wildfire briefly broke out near the famed Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles on Monday, but firefighters quickly put it out, with no damage to nearby structures.
Small fires in the Granada Hills and Tujunga neighborhoods of LA were stopped before any homes were damaged or destroyed, and no evacuation orders were issued, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said Tuesday.
The Palisades Fire in Los Angeles County, which has burned 23,713 acres, was 63% contained, and LA’s Eaton Fire was 89% contained at 14,021 acres as of Tuesday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.
Since the latest wind event began, hurricane-force gusts of 74 mph or more have roared over the region’s mountains and valleys.
Sill Hill, in the San Diego County Mountains, saw 102 mph gusts and Magic Mountain in Angeles National Forest, in the San Gabriel Mountains, had 88 mph gusts.
The potent Santa Ana winds will calm down later Tuesday, but winds will still be gusty at times through Thursday afternoon. These gusts, combined with continued dry conditions, will keep fire weather risks elevated.
A “particularly dangerous situation” warning has expired but red flag warnings remain in effect until 10 p.m. PT Tuesday.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a windblown dust and ash advisory through Tuesday at 10 p.m. PT due to the strong winds and the particles left behind by the fires potentially impacting air quality throughout the county.
Los Angeles bracing once again
Firefighting teams pre-deployed in anticipation of the high winds and greater fire risk, officials said.
The Los Angeles Fire Department “has deployed all available resources and strategically positioned fire patrols and fire engines in the high-risk areas across the city of Los Angeles … we are also strategically managing our emergency operations to ensure a rapid response to all new fires,” Crowley said.
Additionally, firefighting teams from around the region have also pre-positioned fire engines and firefighting aircraft across Southern California, according to Crowley.
The Los Angeles Police Department has completed an “exhaustive” search for any missing persons or people who died within the Palisades Fire burn area within the city of Los Angeles, Assistant Chief Dominic Choi said Tuesday.
Police have also established a staging area for residents of one Palisades neighborhood to be escorted safely to their properties and are working on offering more escorts as additional burn zones are deemed safe and stable enough.
“All of our unified commanders are doing everything they can to allow safe access to the residents in this community as soon as they can. And I thank all of you for your patience,” Choi said.
Residents at the staging area must provide identification or documentation proving they live in the community and will be provided with kits containing N95 masks and goggles to use in the burn zones, said Choi.
