A spectacular fire on Tuesday, January 7, forced thousands of people to evacuate the hills overlooking Los Angeles, which is experiencing violent winds spreading the flames and posing a “mortal danger”according to authorities.
The fire broke out late in the morning in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, populated with multimillion-dollar villas in the mountains northwest of the city. It has already devastated nearly 1,200 hectares.
The authorities identify “many structures already destroyed” explained California Governor Gavin Newsom during a press briefing Tuesday evening.
Around 30,000 people are under evacuation orders, according to authorities. No injuries have been reported at this time.
Gusts up to 160 km/h
Firefighters had to clear the roadway with a bulldozer to access the neighborhood. The fire caused a huge cloud of smoke, visible from throughout the megalopolis.
The fire broke out at the worst time for Los Angeles, swept by violent gusts. Warm Santa Ana winds, typical of the California winter, are expected to blow up to 100 mph in the region Tuesday and Wednesday, according to the U.S. Weather Service (NWS). Enough to spread the flames very quickly and place a “mortal danger”.
The Democratic governor asked Californians to “respect evacuation orders”which are not always followed in the United States. More than 250 firefighters are currently mobilized, added Kristin Crowley, a Los Angeles fire official. “The combination of strong winds and topography” steep neighborhood “makes the task extremely difficult”she insisted.
The firefighters will even have to fight on several fronts: Tuesday evening, a new fire broke out near Pasadena, north of Los Angeles and quickly ravaged more than 400 hectares, according to the CalFire agency.
Extremely early winter « sec »
“This is expected to be the strongest wind event in this region since 2011”warned Daniel Swain, specialist in extreme events at UCLA University. But the risk of fire is according to him “much higher” than at the time.
Because after two very rainy years which reinvigorated the vegetation, southern California suffered “the driest start to winter on record”. In other words, anything that has grown back abundantly now acts as fuel for the fire.
Scientists regularly point out that climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme weather events.
“November, December, January… There is no more fire season. It takes place all year round »recalled Governor Newsom.
The storm disrupted the visit of President Joe Biden, who came to California on Tuesday to announce the creation of two “national monuments”vast protected areas in the south of the state.
Present in Los Angeles, the 82-year-old Democrat immediately approved federal aid for the second largest city in the United States.
“This is something (…) that we should not take for granted at this moment in American history”greeted Mr. Newsom.
Donald Trump, who is due to succeed Mr. Biden in a few days at the White House, threatened in September to cut federal aid usually received by California to fight against forest fires.
