With rain in the forecast, weary Los Angeles hopes for progress against wildfires Reuters
Rich McKay
(Reuters) – California firefighters could make more progress on Friday on three major wildfires burning in and around Los Angeles, as the latest round of blistering winds dissipates and the first rains arrive in the area over the weekend.
The improved outlook comes after weeks of frustration in getting out of the crisis, as crews said water shortages, gale-force winds, bone-dry air and constant outbreaks of new fires are wearing thin on resources.
The fresh optimism coincides with a planned visit by President Donald Trump later Friday to survey the destruction. Trump has sharply criticized local and state officials for their handling of the massive fires, which have burned entire neighborhoods, killed 28 people and damaged or destroyed nearly 16,000 structures.
1.5 inches of rain was expected this weekend as hot, dry Santa Ana winds eased, said Rich Otto, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center. After gusting to 60 mph on Thursday, winds would drop to 25 to 40 mph on Friday and decrease through the day.
“It will be cold rain starting late Saturday and continuing into Monday, with snow at higher elevations, but areas of concern are scarred areas from the fires,” he said.
But the region’s first significant rain would also increase the risk of dangerous mudslides on hillsides fringed with vegetation ravaged by wildfires in the past two weeks.
Red flag warnings, signaling extreme fire danger, are set to expire in the Southern California area at 10 a.m. local time, said Andrew Orrison, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
“Basically, it’s because of the low winds,” he said. “The change in conditions will also bring more humidity which should help suppress fires.”
The latest major fire to break out in the Los Angeles area has already burned 10,300 acres in the San Fernando Valley, but firefighters were able to achieve 36 percent containment of the Hughes fire by the end of Thursday, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection website. page.
AND Eaton (NYSE 🙂 And the Palisades fires – on the eastern and western flanks of the metropolis – burned for 18 days.
The Eaton Fire, which has destroyed much of the community of Altadena near Pasadena, is 95% contained, raising hopes that firefighters will be able to contain it Friday.
The Palisades Fire, which has ravaged the affluent enclave of Pacific Palisades near Santa Monica, was 72% contained, Cal Fire said late Thursday.
A series of smaller fires have also threatened the area in recent days. The Sepulveda Fire, which started early Thursday morning, has burned 45 acres along the 405 Freeway near the Getty Center Museum – home to numerous art treasures throughout the 45 acres. Now 60% contained, it eventually briefly caused a section of the busy highway to close and forced some evacuations.
Two new fires broke out in the San Diego area on Thursday. Evacuation orders were ordered but later lifted Thursday in the La Jolla enclave near the University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine after a two-acre brush fire broke out.
A second fire, south near the U.S.-Mexico border, has spread through the Mountain Otay Wilderness and was reported at 4,250 acres and zero percent contained Thursday.
