Though the flames have wrought destruction in the city, they have been fed by two of the Los Angeles fires, which have already snuffed out at least 24 lives among their ashes. The Palisades and Eaton fires, described as among the worst in the history of this metropolitan area, have scorched vast areas, have blown thousands of structures to bits, and have left tens of thousands homeless.
More firefighters have cleared hundreds of thousands of acres from those fires, but officials warned that such high winds are expected to continue on Wednesday. Those fires don’t add anything, which does not speak of the problem of climate change, the preparedness of urban areas, and extremes of weather that one has to think about.
The fires’ devastating impact
The Palisades fire, the larger of the two, has so far burned more than 23,000 acres and is currently only 14 percent contained. Threatened is the quite wealthy Brentwood area, home to the Getty, a well-known art museum all over the world—which has already been evacuated as a precaution. The Eaton, which has been the reason behind 16 out of the 24 reported deaths, has burned over 14,000 acres and destroyed thousands of homes. In total, more than 12,000 structures, among them private residences, vehicles, and outbuildings, have been translated into ash.
Thousands of firefighters are unsuccessfully trying to control the inferno, although very high Santa Ana winds have worsened the situation. These winds are known to facilitate the rapid spread of wildfires, and they’re expected to peak on Tuesday. Red flag warnings are in place, signifying intense fire danger.
Several celebrities have also fallen victim to the fires, among them Mel Gibson, Leighton Meester, Adam Brody, and Paris Hilton, all of whom are now homeless. With power outages leaving tens of thousands of residents without any electricity, the challenges for evacuees are even heavier.
Causes and climate factors
Investigators are still trying to determine the definitive causes of the fires. Although the number one cause of wildfires in the United States has been ruled out completely, human activity or other sources are still being scrutinized. Dry vegetation combined with years of drought and recent extreme weather conditions contributed to that perfect storm that builds up into these very destructive fires.
California’s exceptionally dry weather has been accentuated by the “whiplash” phenomenon of alternation between wet and dry years. Heavy rains in the last part of 2022 and the first part of 2023 allowed the growth of considerable amounts of vegetation, which later dried and became fuel for wildfires. To add insult to injury, downtown LA has received only 0.16 inches of rain since October.
Experts point to climate change as a crucial reason for making fires more intense and frequent. Temperatures have risen; drought has continued longer, and the atmosphere is getting drier, increasing eastern and central-western U.S. susceptibility to big fires. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), such environmental shifts are directly affecting the increased risk for and scale of wildfires in the region.
Preparedness and response challenges
They have awakened a political debate in the City about how prepared it is for such disasters. California Governor Gavin Newsom is pushing for an independent inquiry into such issues as the loss of water pressure from hydrants, as well as the closure of the Santa Ynez Reservoir for maintenance that left it empty when the fires started. Lapses such as these raise questions as to whether even more homes and evacuation routes could have been saved.
Criticisms have also been attached to Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass because she was actually out of the country when wildfires erupted. After her return, she nullified queries regarding preparedness on the part of the city and instead emphasized the trigger of her concern as to the support needed for residents and containment of fires. Despite claims of a shortage in resources, the LA County Fire Chief, Anthony Marrone has insisted that his department was adequately prepared for such a crisis.
The path forward
Los Angeles is not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel with regard to the current burning state of affairs, given that days are numbered for the next possible new outbreaks. Firefighters wage their efforts to keep busy battling every inferno, but the Santa Ana winds, together with the existing dry conditions, pose a real threat against such efforts. Officials have also called for additional red flag warnings, thus exhorting the public to remain on guard and prepare an emergency evacuation plan.
While Los Angeles battles through this fire season, these events stand starkly as a sobering reminder of the increasing risk of calamity caused by climate change and an urgent clarion call to ramp up disaster preparedness and risk mitigation strategies. For those afflicted, it will be a long haul and a difficult climb toward recovery, yet the strength of the community keeps hope alive for a much brighter future.
