‘Extremely Critical’ Risk as Winds Whip Fire-Weary Los Angeles

AFP/APP

Los Angeles: Southern California faced dangerous winds on Monday, with forecasters warning of an “extremely critical” risk in a region already reeling from devastating wildfires.

Firefighters continued to make progress extinguishing fires that ravaged 40,000 acres (16,000 hectares) in the Los Angeles area since they erupted on January 7, killing at least 27 people. However, the return of hurricane-force winds, which fueled the initial blazes, posed a renewed threat.

Winds gusting up to 88 miles (142 kilometers) per hour have been recorded in some areas. Forecasters warned that these winds, combined with exceedingly dry conditions, could spark and rapidly spread new fires.

“We’re expecting this to continue to create extremely critical fire weather conditions across the region,” said Ariel Cohen of the National Weather Service (NWS). “Any fires that form could grow explosively. This is a particularly dangerous situation.”

Officials, criticized for being unprepared earlier this month, have pre-deployed engines and firefighters to high-risk areas.

“I believe that we will be very, very prepared for the worst possible case scenario over the next couple of days. Hopefully, we won’t get there at all,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass told reporters.

The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, was 59 percent contained by Monday, with evacuation orders reduced to match the fire’s footprint. Meanwhile, the Eaton Fire, which devastated much of the Altadena area, was 87 percent contained.

No ‘Magical Spigot’

As Los Angeles grapples with the scale of the devastation, political tensions have escalated.

Newly sworn-in US President Donald Trump announced plans to visit the fire-ravaged areas at the end of the week. The trip could result in an awkward meeting with California Governor Gavin Newsom, who has been a frequent target of Trump’s criticisms over his handling of the disaster.

Moments after being inaugurated as the 47th president, Trump took another swipe at California’s Democratic leadership.