California firefighters are taking advantage of a lull in winds in their fierce battle against devastating wildfires, but the respite could be short-lived. Update on a still critical situation.
California firefighters, exhausted but determined, are taking advantage of a welcome lull in the winds this weekend in their fierce fight against the fires that have been ravaging the state for days. A little respite therefore, but which could be short-lived according to meteorologists, who expect the return of more powerful squalls on Monday.
“Critical” risk of fires from Monday
Weather experts warn: winds are expected to strengthen significantly from Monday to Wednesday, opening “a new period of critical risk” for fires. Worse, it might not rain at all for the next six or seven days. An alarming observation for the thousands of firefighters who continue to work day and night to try to control these devastating fires.
Trump promises a visit, Newsom invites him to see the damage
Faced with the scale of the disaster, President-elect Donald Trump said on Saturday that he hoped to visit the site after his inauguration on Monday, “probably at the end of the week”. An announcement welcomed by the Democratic Governor of California Gavin Newsom, who is nevertheless critical of Trump’s management of the fires. Newsom thus invited the Republican to come and see with his own eyes the terrible damage in Los Angeles.
A very heavy human and material toll
These fires, which affect Altadena to the north of Los Angeles and the upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood to the west, have already caused at least 27 deaths. Dozens of people are still missing. More than 16,000 hectares went up in smoke, an area equivalent to the city of Washington. Tens of thousands of residents had to be urgently evacuated.
Emergency services are increasing their efforts to find possible victims in the rubble. Mounted police officers, dog brigades, nothing is neglected to inspect the disaster areas, even in the most steep and difficult to access places.
“I hope they call us soon to come home”
-A resident evacuated
While waiting to return to their homes, many evacuees are living in shelters. Like Winston Ekpo, whose house was miraculously spared. This father hopes to soon be able to “clear the smoke, buy air purifiers and check the attic”. Concerns shared by many in his situation.
Return to normal: a titanic job
Meanwhile, in affected areas like Altadena, Pacific Palisades and Malibu, hundreds of trucks and workers are busy clearing roads, restoring electricity, inspecting gas and water pipes. Painstaking work is essential to prepare for the return of residents.
What causes these devastating fires?
If a federal investigation has been opened to determine the exact origin of these fires, several factors combine according to experts:
- Two very rainy years favoring lush vegetation
- Several months without rain causing this vegetation to dry out
- Winds of rare violence, making the task of firefighters almost impossible
The famous Santa Ana winds have in fact reached an intensity not seen since 2011 with gusts of 160 km/h. For Alex Tardy of the American weather services, the combination of these winds, the record drought and the state of the vegetation creates “a fire risk never seen in modern annals”.
While this does not necessarily mean more fire outbreaks, the specialist warns that any fire would see “a potentially explosive and faster spread”. Enough to cause great concern as California holds its breath waiting for a real lull. Vigilance therefore remains essential to avoid an even more catastrophic conflagration in the days to come.
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