After a day of efforts to protect Brentwood and Encino from the Palisades Fire, firefighters are bracing for days of high winds that could threaten new communities and hamper efforts to contain the firestorm.
The Los Angeles County wildfires have claimed at least 16 lives and destroyed more than 10,000 structures, making it likely to be the most destructive wildfire in U.S. history.
forecast
Severe fire weather is expected to peak Saturday night into Sunday and again Monday night into Tuesday, as wind gusts of more than 115 mph are possible in eastern Los Angeles County mountains. has been done. Forecasters said the rough conditions could push the Eaton Fire further south in the Altadena area.
“What we’re concerned about is that the winds will pick up tonight and into Monday into Wednesday,” said Rose Schoenfield, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. “The overall outlook for this period is not good.”
A red flag warning, which had been in effect from 6pm on Saturday evening, was extended until Wednesday night, and a fire warning was also issued. Santa Ana wind events will impact mountain and foothill communities in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, but could have a stronger impact on the Santa Susana and San Gabriel Mountains.
The dry weather is expected to continue into the middle of the week, but Schoenfeld said there could be a breather Thursday with a 20% chance of rain and high humidity.
“Ideally it’s a storm, but we’ll take what we can get,” Schoenfeld said.
James White, a meteorologist with the interagency team in charge of the Eaton Fire, said strong northeasterly winds were expected to increase into Sunday, but were likely to remain over the higher elevation ridges.
He said the biggest concern is Tuesday, when winds from a more easterly direction could lower elevations and impact some areas of the fire. But those wind gusts could only be as high as 20 or 25 mph, he said, far weaker than the hurricane-force winds that brought showers of embers and flames to the Palisades and Eaton Canyon areas last week.
“We are monitoring it closely, but we are nowhere near the level of concern or significant fire weather that started this event,” White said.
influence
The Palisades Fire is 23,707 acres in size and 11% contained as of Sunday morning. The Eaton Fire is 14,117 acres and 15% contained.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone said officials are preparing for more dangerous winds, which will no doubt pose additional challenges to ongoing firefighting efforts.
He warned that more power outages were likely in the coming days, initiated to limit the possibility of fires starting from electrical equipment.
“The unavoidable public safety power outages implemented before this life-threatening Santa Ana wind event are critical to preventing new fires from starting and will help save lives,” Marrone said in a statement. Please understand.” “Yes, it’s difficult to deal with, but it’s certainly better than having another fire.”
firefighting
On Saturday, changing winds moved the fire north and east through the Santa Monica Mountains, forcing evacuations in Brentwood and the foothills of Encino and Tarzana. As a result, the fifth day of the massive blaze, which has already damaged or destroyed more than 10,000 buildings, kept the fire-stricken Los Angeles on edge.
Firefighting helicopters and planes dropped water and retardant on fire lines not far from Highway 405 to prevent the flames from further engulfing nearby areas. Although the drops appeared to be productive, at least two homes on a remote hillside in Mandeville Canyon appeared to be on fire, according to aerial video from a local television station.
Calm winds and high humidity helped firefighters make headway Saturday in battling an unprecedented fire siege that devastated the foothills community of Altadena and the coastal enclave of the Pacific Palisades. But authorities warned Santa Ana’s wind gusts would pick up again next week and warned people to stay indoors. caveat.
Don Freglia, director of operations for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, said crews responding to the Eaton Fire are still dealing with hot spots and flare-ups, including near some areas.
“We’re using every tool in our toolbox to put out this fire,” Freglia said. But he acknowledged this is a long game, “a job that will take days and weeks.”
power issues
As of Saturday, Southern California Edison reported that more than 300,000 customers across the region (approximately 80,000 in Los Angeles County) were considering further power outages “due to the increased risk of wildfires.” did.
Approximately 20,000 customers across Los Angeles County remain without power due to rolling blackouts.
health warning
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health declared a local health emergency due to the fire. Health officials extended the smoke advisory until 10pm Sunday, citing unhealthy air pollution.
The department said in a warning Saturday that small particles in wildfire smoke can cause burning eyes, runny noses, itchy throats, headaches, bronchitis and other illnesses. Children, the elderly, people with respiratory or heart conditions, or people with weakened immune systems may experience more severe effects, including difficulty breathing, wheezing, coughing, fatigue, and chest pain. there is.
The health emergency prohibits the use of electric leaf blowers and other devices that can kick up ash and particulate matter into the air until further notice. The agency recommended residents wear N95 or P100 masks if they are outdoors for long periods of time.
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