High winds that have fueled wildfires in Los Angeles are expected to pick up again on Wednesday following the confirmation of the 25th death from the week-long outbreak. Forecasters have pinpointed an area of “extreme fire danger” to the northwest of the city center. Wind speeds in some mountainous areas could reach up to 70mph (113km/h), almost at hurricane force if sustained. This increase in winds poses a threat to the remaining four blazes, despite progress made by firefighters during calmer days. Wind speeds began to rise steadily on Wednesday morning in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with expectations for peak speeds later in the day. The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that while the winds are weaker than last week, they are still strong. Officials are hoping for a decrease in winds in the coming days but stress the urgent need for rain to aid firefighting efforts. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone emphasized the critical fire threat in the region due to the anticipated winds, low humidity, and dry conditions. The situation is particularly perilous in areas like Simi Valley and Thousand Oaks. Climate scientists attribute the intensity of the California wildfires to weather conditions exacerbated by human-induced climate change. The fires have resulted in 25 deaths, with 13 individuals still missing. The Eaton Fire to the north of the city has burned over 14,000 acres but is now 35% contained, while the larger Palisades Fire has scorched more than 23,000 acres and is 18% contained. Evacuation orders persist for tens of thousands of residents in the affected areas.
Evacuation orders – where night-time curfews also apply – and thousands of homes have been destroyed in one of the costliest natural disasters in American history. On Tuesday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass described the scenes as “unimaginable”, vowing to exercise her executive powers to trigger rapid rebuilding efforts. Setting out other measures to help locals, another official, the LA County supervisor, said an emergency proclamation would be issued to prevent alleged price-gouging by LA landlords amid the crisis. [BBC] LA fire victims fear new housing crisis LA brain surgeon saves street from ‘apocalyptic’ wildfires Mel Gibson, Jeff Bridges and other LA celebrities lose homes to wildfires
