Wind Storm Alert for Southern California

Updated Saturday, January 11, 2025, 9:18Am

Our thoughts are with all Southern Californians impacted by the fires. An unknown number have died and so many have lost homes or have been evacuated. We appreciate the valiant effort of firefighters and other first responders who have saved so many homes and lives, and the reporters who have kept us informed during this emergency. The fires remain an ongoing threat.

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Background

Southern California is currently facing a Critical Fire Weather event due to a wind storm that forecasters had warned could be the biggest fire threat in years, due to the power of the winds and abnormally dry conditions.

That warning played out as several major fires broke out, with the two largest estimated to each have destroyed at least 5,000 structures.

An image of smoke from the Palisades Fire caught by a webcam in Santa Monica. January 7, 2025

The Palisades Fire has destroyed an estimated 5,000 structures in the Pacific Palisades and Malibu and is currently reported to have burned more than 22,000 acres, with ongoing expansion to the north toward North Westridge and Encino and east toward Mandeville Canyon and the 405.

The Eaton Fire has destroyed an estimated 5,000 structures in Altadena and Pasadena, and is reported to have burned more than 14,000 acres.

A number of other large fires broke out this week, including the Hurst Fire in Sylmar and the Sunset fire, which forced evacuations in Hollywood but was ultimately contained.

The wind slowed over the past couple of days, but is projected to pick up again Saturday. Although the winds are not expected to be as strong as those earlier in the week, critical fire-weather conditions are expected to develop due to the dry conditions and ongoing fire activity.

How Climate Change Makes these Winds More Dangerous

According to Yale Climate Connections, climate change isn’t making downslope winds like we are experiencing this month more frequent or intense. Instead, the winds have become more dangerous due to the dry conditions. Warmer temperatures “make droughts more dangerous by allowing more water to evaporate from landscapes and reservoirs” and have extended Southern California’s fire season.

Earlier in January, the Los Angeles Times reported that four months into its typical rainy season, Southern California remains abnormally dry, with no significant rainfall since May 5. The article quotes a meteorologist: “it’s safe to say this is [one of] the top ten driest starts to our rainy seasons on record.” These dry conditions are made more likely by climate change, and cause fires to spread more quickly once they start, giving firefighters limited time to contain them.

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