A pause in fierce winds that super-charged the ring of wildfires that devastated Los Angeles this week have helped crews make some progress in controlling the infernos, but strong gusts returning next week could resuscitate the flames.
The fires, which have devastated Los Angeles neighbourhoods on the east and west sides of the sprawling metropolis, have so far killed 10 people and destroyed nearly 10,000 structures, with those figures expected to grow.
“We are doing everything we can to bring the situation under control, and success has been reported,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference on Friday.
“We know that we’re going to have a possible increase in the force of the winds at the beginning of next week, and getting Los Angeles prepared – doing everything we can to save lives – that is our No 1 job.”
President Joe Biden said federal officials expect the winds to remain a threat at least until early next week.
Wind conditions in the Los Angeles area will improve Friday through the weekend to about 32km/h, with gusts between 56km/h and 80km/h, according to the National Weather Service, a far cry from days ago when wind gusts blasted as high as 128km/h.
Even with dangerous “red flag” wind conditions expected until Friday afternoon, any periods of easing would allow more crucial support from aircraft dropping water and fire retardant on the flaming hills.
“It’s not as gusty so that should help firefighters, hopefully,” NWS meteorologist Allison Santorelli said, adding that conditions were still critical with low humidity and dry vegetation. “There’s a bit of good news, if there can be.”
Farther south in San Diego, winds will pick up, with sustained winds of 64km/h and gusts up to 112km/h, creating dangerous fire conditions there over the weekend, she added.
PUBLIC HEALTH EMERGENCY
The US Department of Health and Human Services have declared a public health emergency for California to address the health impacts of the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles county.
The declaration gives the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ health care providers and suppliers greater flexibility in meeting emergency health needs of people enrolled under Medicare and Medicaid insurance plans, the HHS said on Friday.
HHS said its Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response was prepared to deploy responders, along with medical equipment and supplies if requested by the state.
As of early Friday (local time), at least three major fires were still burning in Los Angeles. In addition to the Palisades and Eaton fires, a blaze broke out on Thursday near Calabasas, a wealthy enclave home to numerous celebrities and gated communities. The so-called Kenneth Fire, which expanded to 388 hectares in a matter of hours, was 35% under control by early Friday, fire officials said.
The Sunset Fire in the Hollywood Hills was brought fully under control on Thursday, after flames had engulfed a ridge overlooking Hollywood Boulevard’s Walk of Fame.
The Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire already rank as the most destructive in Los Angeles history, consuming more than 13,750ha – some 137 square kilometres, or two-and-a-half times the land area of Manhattan – and turning entire neighbourhoods to ash.
The Eaton Fire, now 3% controlled, has damaged or destroyed 4000 to 5000 structures, while the Palisades Fire, now 8% controlled, destroyed or damaged another 5,300 structures, including many homes of movie stars and celebrities.
‘NO WORDS’
Some Pacific Palisades residents were venturing back to areas where the fire had already swept through. Brick chimneys loomed over charred waste and burnt-out vehicles.
“I can’t describe it,” the 44-year-old psychiatrist Kelly Foster said as she combed through the ashy rubble where her home once stood with her children while smoke rose from neighbouring homes and planes dropped water nearby. “I have no words.”
Officials have imposed a curfew in mandatory evacuation zones for the Palisades and Eaton fires from 6pm to 6 am to help prevent looting. California National Guard members also have begun to arrive to secure evacuation zones and help with traffic control, freeing up firefighters and police.
Meanwhile, false evacuation messages sent by an automated alert system further frayed residents’ nerves as officials vowed to work on the problem. Many area homes also were without power.
“Everybody is on edge,” said podcast host Jemele Hill, who was awakened by a false evacuation warning early Friday morning, the second in two days. “What happens is, the next one that comes, people aren’t going to take it seriously.”
In Altadena, a racially and economically diverse community near Pasadena, many residents said they were concerned government resources would be channelled toward wealthier areas and insurance companies might short-change less affluent households who lacked the means to contest fire claims.
“They’re not going to give you the value of your house … if they do you really have to fight for it,” said Kay Young, 63, as she tearfully looked over the smoking rubble of a house that she said had been in her family for generations.
BILLIONS IN LOSSES
Catastrophic losses are already weighing on insurers, which are bracing for billions of dollars in potential claims.
Private forecaster AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic loss at $US135 billion ($NZ242 billion) to $150 billion, portending an arduous recovery and soaring homeowners’ insurance costs.
California Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara on Friday called on insurers to suspend pending non-renewals and cancellations that homeowners received before the fires began and to extend the grace period for payments.
Biden has declared the fires a major disaster and said the US government would reimburse 100% of the recovery for the next six months, and on Friday reiterated his pledge to provide California with the resources it needs to fight the blazes and rebuild.
The Democratic president hands over the government January 20 to his successor Republican Donald Trump, who along with his allies have sought to blame Democratic state and local officials as well and environmentalists for the deadly disaster.
BONE-DRY CONDITIONS MEET SANTA ANA WINDS
This week’s fast-moving blazes swept across Southern California at a time when the region has not seen any significant rainfall for months and were fanned by unrelenting Santa Ana winds.
City and fire officials have said water hydrants in the urban area were not designed to deal with such a massive, unprecedented wildfire. Scientists say the disaster marks the latest in climate-fuelled weather extremes.
Officials are still investigating what ignited the blazes, as they continued to raze homes and monuments while evacuations, closures and sports relocations continued.
Los Angeles police interviewed a possible arson suspect related to the Kenneth Fire on Thursday but lacked enough probable cause for an arrest on that charge, Assistant Police Chief Dominic Choi told reporters on Friday.
Edison International unit Southern California Edison said insurers asked it to preserve evidence related to the Eaton Fire but that no fire agencies have connected the utility to the blaze.