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LA Braces for ‘Extreme Fire Danger’ as High Winds Are Forecast

Los Angeles is preparing for extreme fire danger due to high winds expected to intensify the risk of wildfires.

Winds that have contributed to wildfires in Los Angeles are expected to intensify once again on Wednesday, following confirmation of the 25th death in the massive, week-long outbreak.

Forecasters have issued a warning for “extreme fire danger” in areas to the north-west of the city, particularly in mountainous regions where winds could reach up to 70mph (113km/h), approaching hurricane-force speeds if sustained.

These winds are forecast to spread the remaining four wildfires, which firefighters have made progress in containing thanks to a brief period of calmer conditions.

Wind speeds began rising steadily on Wednesday morning in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with peak conditions expected later in the day, according to the National Weather Service (NWS). Though the winds are expected to be weaker than last week’s, the NWS has stressed that they remain strong enough to pose a significant threat.

There is hope for a drop in wind speeds over the coming days, but officials have emphasised the urgent need for rain to aid firefighting efforts.

“The anticipated winds, combined with low humidities and low fuel moistures, will keep the fire threat in the LA region critical,” said Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone in a Tuesday press conference.

Areas such as Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks, located north-west of Los Angeles, have been flagged as particularly dangerous.

Conditions are expected to improve later on Thursday and into Friday, according to BBC Weather forecaster Sarah Keith-Lucas. However, no rainfall is expected in the area for at least the next week, and the Santa Ana winds responsible for fuelling the fires could return by Sunday.

Pasadena’s fire chief, Chad Augustin, echoed the call for rain, highlighting that there had been no “real rain in southern California” for more than 250 days.

“Our firefighters will spend Wednesday standing guard, ensuring that we hold our containment lines and prevent any more structures from burning,” Augustin said.

A study by climate scientists at Climameter has concluded that the wildfires have been exacerbated by meteorological conditions influenced by human-induced climate change, with areas affected by the fires experiencing warmer, drier, and windier conditions compared to the past.

The LA County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the 25th death from the fires, with 13 people still missing. The majority of the victims have been from the Eaton Fire, which has scorched over 14,000 acres north of the city and is now 35% contained. The larger Palisades Fire, which has burned over 23,000 acres, is at 18% containment, and two smaller fires continue to burn.

Some residents of the Eaton Fire area have been allowed to return to their homes, but there is no clear timeline for repopulating the Palisades area, which has been heavily affected by the fire.

Tens of thousands of people remain under evacuation orders, with night-time curfews in place, and thousands of homes have been destroyed in what is one of the costliest natural disasters in US history.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the devastation as “unimaginable” and pledged to use her executive powers to expedite rebuilding efforts. In addition, LA County officials announced plans to issue an emergency proclamation to prevent price-gouging by landlords amid the crisis.

Faridah Abdulkadiri

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