Massive Losses Caused by California Wildfires

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Wind-whipped wildfires are tragically burning down parts of California. The New York Times reports:

Officials cautioned that the worst was still to come in the out-of-control wildfires that were raging across the Los Angeles area for the second day on Wednesday, killing at least two people, reducing many buildings to ash and forcing tens of thousands of people to evacuate.

Though hurricane-level winds were expected to drop by mid- to late morning, even weakened winds will remain hazardous into the evening hours, with extreme wildfire weather conditions likely to continue into the afternoon. And the fierce gusts have hindered firefighting efforts, with many homes destroyed along the scenic Pacific Coast, thousands of buildings at risk and evacuation zones growing by the hour.

“This is going to be devastating, a devastating loss, for all of Los Angeles,” said Traci Park, the Los Angeles city councilwoman whose district includes Pacific Palisades, the site of the biggest fire.

That blaze, named the Palisades fire, began on Tuesday morning in the affluent neighborhood west of downtown Los Angeles, and had exploded to nearly 3,000 acres by night, burning with a volatility that astonished fire officials.

Here’s what else to know:

• Eaton fire: Another fire east of Los Angeles, near Pasadena in Eaton Canyon, started on Tuesday evening and was growing rapidly, consuming more than 2,200 acres by Wednesday morning, officials said. That blaze, named the Eaton fire, engulfed homes and forced more than 100 people to evacuate from a nursing home, some in wheelchairs and on gurneys, said Lisa Derderian, a spokeswoman for the city of Pasadena. The Los Angeles County sheriff’s office has confirmed two fatalities associated with the Eaton fire.
• Evacuations: Sheriff Robert G. Luna of Los Angeles County said that approximately 37,000 residents were under evacuation orders for the Palisades fire alone. See a map of the evacuations here.
• Firefighting efforts: Multiple agencies have responded with strike teams, but the wind forced officials to ground aircraft, making the fires particularly difficult to fight.
• More fires: A third blaze known as the Hurst fire in Sylmar, in the San Fernando Valley, started and grew to 500 acres on Tuesday night, forcing officials to issue evacuation orders for several streets. Officials are also responding to smaller fires including in Santa Paula, Fontana and the Sun Valley. Read more about the three major fires.
• One fire contained: The Woodley fire, a smaller blaze that began in a park about 20 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, was under control, said Kristin M. Crowley, the Los Angeles Fire Department chief. That fire had grown to 75 acres, according to Cal Fire.
• Early reports of damage: Multiple structures have been damaged, said Kristin M. Crowley, the Los Angeles Fire Department chief. They include some local landmarks along the Pacific Coast Highway and other areas. Sheriff Luna of Los Angeles County said Wednesday morning that approximately 15,000 structures were at risk in the Palisades fire alone.
• Power concerns: About 280,000 customers across Southern California were without power early Wednesday, many because of powerful winds or because utility providers had turned off their electricity to prevent more fires.
• School closures: At least 18 school districts across Los Angeles County have reported closures for Wednesday because of the fires and the weather conditions. Read more about the closures.

Read more here.