Dry Southern California was forecast to face more dangerous winds on Wednesday but could get some much-needed rain later this week, easing the threat of another round of deadly wildfires while toxic Challenges such as ash flow will likely increase.
Los Angeles officials were preparing for the possibility even as some residents were allowed to return to the devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas. Firefighters extinguished small fires that broke out during the hot weather that is expected to last through Thursday.
“We’re going to see another round of severe fire conditions in Southern California,” Todd Hall, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said Wednesday morning. “At this point, it seems like a broken record.”
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order on Tuesday to speed up cleanup efforts in burn areas and reduce the environmental impact of fire-related pollutants. He ordered crews to clear vegetation, shore up hills, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of possible rain over the weekend, which could cause mud and debris flows.
Experts have warned that toxic hazards may exist in disaster areas. Ashes from homes and cars can contain residues of a number of potentially hazardous materials, including lead, battery acid, arsenic and carcinogens found in the plastics used in their construction. Meanwhile, wildfires increase the risk of landslides by exposing the landscape to rapid erosion in the event of a rainstorm, Joshua West, professor of earth sciences at the University of Southern California, told the Guardian last week. . In January 2018, for example, severe storms that hit an area of ​​Montecito that had burned weeks earlier triggered a mudslide that killed 23 people.
In an effort to prevent such disasters, Los Angeles County supervisors approved emergency motions to install flood control infrastructure and to accelerate and remove sediment in fire-affected areas.
Southern California had a 60-80 percent chance of rain beginning Saturday, with most areas receiving more than a third of an inch (0.8 cm), according to weather service meteorologist Ryan Kittle. Not likely. Office for Los Angeles. However, locally thunderstorms could drop up to an inch, which would be a worst-case scenario if enough flow to move debris over scorched hillsides.
“But even if it doesn’t rain this time, it could be a good practice for these communities because it will be a risk they will have to deal with for months or years,” Kittle said.
Fire crews were filling sandbags for communities.
Winds eased somewhat Tuesday afternoon after reaching 60 mph (97 km/h) in many areas, but gusty conditions are expected to continue. A red flag warning for severe fire danger in Los Angeles and Ventura counties has been extended until 8 p.m. Thursday.
“Our concern is the next fire, the next spark that causes the next wildfire,” said David Acuna, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. Another concern was that the two large fires still burning, the Palisades and Eaton fires, could break their containment lines as firefighters continue to search for hot spots.
Fire engines and water jets were deployed strategically to allow crews to quickly extinguish several small fires in Los Angeles and San Diego counties, officials said.
Evacuation orders were lifted Tuesday for the Friars Fire and the Lilac Fire near a San Diego mall, which burned through dry brush after threatening some structures, Cal Fire said. Nearby crews fully contained the Pala fire, another small fire. The mud fire in Riverside was 40 percent contained Tuesday night and evacuation orders were lifted.
Southern California Edison shut off power to more than 60,000 customers in five counties early Tuesday to prevent new fires from igniting winds that toppled electrical equipment. Power was later restored to most. The utility was considering a precautionary shutdown for an additional 187,000 customers on Wednesday.
Officials urged residents to review evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits and be on the lookout for fires and report them immediately.
Bass also warned that winds could carry ash and advised Angelenos to visit the city’s website to learn how to protect themselves from toxic air during Santa Ana’s latest wind event.
Low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued to battle the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 28 people and damaged more than 14,000 structures since they started on Jan. 7. destroyed The Palisades fire reached 68% containment, and the Eaton fire was 91%.
The federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives is investigating the cause of the fire but has not released any findings.
Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton fire, alleging that Southern California Edison appliances started the fire. A judge overseeing a trial on Tuesday ordered the utility to produce data from circuits in the area where the fire started.
Questions are also emerging About why some residents of Altadena, where most of the deaths occurred, were delayed in receiving evacuation warnings.
Donald Trump, who criticized the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address on Monday, said he would travel to Los Angeles on Friday.
