According to Marrone, L.A. County and all 29 fire departments within the county are ill-equipped to handle a disaster of this scale. The shortage of firefighters in the area is particularly concerning, with the current fires proving to be too much for the existing resources. Even with firefighters stationed in advance in the Santa Monica Mountains, the situation is dire, and Marrone emphasized that this is not a standard red flag alert.
The challenging terrain in areas affected by fires like the Woolsey Fire exacerbates the situation. Pacific Palisades, a convergence of residential neighborhoods and fire-prone hillsides, is a prime example. The upscale homes in this region, with median values exceeding $3.4 million, are nestled amidst chaparral plants that are highly flammable. These ecosystems historically burned every few decades, but human activities now trigger blazes more frequently, with populated areas facing fires every two decades or less.
Chaparral ecosystems are known for their intense fires fueled by strong winds. The volatile chemicals in the plants can lead to towering flames, causing significant damage to structures. The spread of urban development into the foothills has further increased the risk, making it easier for fires to leap from one building to another.
California has taken steps at various levels to mitigate fire risks, including extending firefighting seasons and implementing brush removal programs. Homeowners in high-risk areas are required to create defensible spaces around their properties to aid firefighting efforts. However, the effectiveness of these measures relies on collective commitment, as a single unprepared property can compromise the entire neighborhood’s safety.
Insurance companies have grown cautious due to the heightened risk, leading some to drop coverage for properties in fire-prone regions. The dry conditions in Los Angeles, coupled with the absence of significant rainfall for months, set the stage for a catastrophic fire event. Fire officials had been warning about the potential dangers posed by such conditions for some time.
The recent fires are a culmination of these factors – dry weather, strong winds, and vulnerable landscapes. Anale Burlew from Cal Fire highlighted the susceptibility of Southern California, especially the coastal areas, to wildfires under these conditions.
California’s wildfire task force convened in the aftermath of the Franklin Fire, which ravaged over 4,000 acres near Malibu last month. Abandoned vehicles, some charred, lined Sunset Boulevard as their occupants found themselves stuck in traffic while fleeing the Palisades Fire. Wade Crowfoot, California’s natural resources secretary, warned that what was once known as fire season has now evolved into a year-round battle against wildfires. “We now face wildfire conditions across the state that really never relent through 12 months,” he stated.
Winter wildfires in California are often fanned by the notorious Santa Ana winds, which cascade down mountain slopes, sucking moisture from coastal regions. These gusts can swiftly propel any flames, particularly in dry landscapes. Normally, the San Gabriel Mountains act as a barrier to high pressure, funneling the Santa Anas through canyons and passes. However, on a recent Tuesday, the winds managed to breach the mountains, unleashing a downslope windstorm towards Pacific Palisades and Pasadena.
“These are areas that are usually better protected,” noted Robert Fovell, a professor specializing in atmospheric and environmental sciences at the University of Albany. He commended forecasters for accurately predicting the wind event, stating, “It would be fair to characterize this as well-anticipated from a meteorological standpoint.” Once the Santa Ana winds reach peak velocities, options for safeguarding property dwindle, explained Miller, a professor at Pomona College. “When that happens and a fire is ignited, there is no stopping it,” he emphasized. “When it’s being driven by winds 40, 50, 60, 70 miles an hour, there’s almost nothing that a firefighter can do.”
While research does not currently support the notion that Santa Ana wind events are becoming more frequent due to climate change, rising temperatures and prolonged droughts elevate the risk of fire-conducive conditions when the winds strike, according to Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA. “Climate change is increasing the overlap between extremely dry vegetation conditions later in the season and the occurrence of these wind events,” Swain asserted during a recent YouTube presentation.
Swain led a study published in the journal Nature Reviews, which highlighted the phenomenon of “hydroclimate whiplash” – quick transitions between extreme wet and dry weather – intensifying globally. California exemplifies this trend, having faced significant flooding in recent winters. “This whiplash sequence in California has doubled fire risk,” Swain disclosed in a press release. “First, by significantly boosting the growth of flammable grass and brush leading up to fire season, and then by desiccating it to extremely high levels with the subsequent extreme dryness and warmth.”
The confluence of climate change, Santa Ana winds, and dry vegetation underscores the urgency of proactive measures to mitigate wildfire risks in California. The state’s firefighting agencies are on high alert, grappling with the daunting reality of a perpetual fire year ahead.
