LA fires stay updates: ‘Extremely critical conditions’ in California as 72 mph wind gusts slam metropolis
While Santa Ana winds were on the lighter side in Los Angeles County and surrounding regions Tuesday afternoon, forecasters warned that they were expected to pick up by the evening and into Wednesday.
The combination of windy conditions and low humidity was projected to support rapid fire growth and the potential for even more extreme fire behavior, the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office said.
The agency had cautioned about a “particularly dangerous situation” in the days ahead, and gusts reaching 72 mph were recorded on Tuesday.
Los Angeles County officials urged people to remain alert and evacuate areas where there were evacuation alerts — not just where there were orders. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told reporters on Tuesday that 88,000 residents are currently under evacuation orders and 84,000 are under warnings.
“There is a decrease in these numbers but, as our fire partners have stated, it is still very dangerous for the next 24 hours,” he said. “Don’t wait until the order’s given.”
The region’s largest and deadliest wildfires did not grow on Tuesday. Firefighters have made modest progress, as the death toll climbs to at least 25 people.
Watch: Team of 75 firefighters tackle fast-moving California Auto-Fire
Watch: Team of 75 firefighters tackle fast-moving California Auto-Fire
A team of 75 firefighters have tackled a new fast-moving California wildfire blaze. Firefighters from Ventura City Fire and Oxnard Fire were at the scene of a bush fire in the river bottom off North Ventura Boulevard in Ventura overnight on Monday (14 January). Approximately 75 firefighter worked non stop to stop the spread of the fire. California governor Gavin Newsom said: “Thanks to the prepositioning of hundreds of personnel and firefighting equipment across Southern California, 11 new fires that broke out overnight were quickly extinguished — including the Auto Fire in Ventura County.”
President Biden speaks on California wildfires at conservation event
President Joe Biden has once again addressed the California wildfires at a White House event celebrating his administration’s conservation efforts.
“As you all know, I was in California last week where the event was supposed to be held, but we had to postpone it, because the fires in Los Angeles, among the worst wildfires in California history, it’s devastating,” Biden said on Tuesday evening.
“Our entire administration have been working closely with Governor Newsom, Senator Padilla, Senator Schiff, the entire congressional delegation, to make sure California is every possible resource to fight these fires and help the survivors,” he added.
Biden also signed proclamations establishing the Chuckwalla National Monument and the Sáttítla Highlands National Monument in California.
More than 2,700 structures have been confirmed destroyed in the Eaton Fire zone
Some 2,722 structures have been destroyed in the Eaton Fire zone, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Hundreds more were verified to be damaged.
Officials have said that the estimated number of structures destroyed in the blaze is around 7,000.
Source: independent.co.uk