A devastating wildfire that broke out north of Los Angeles over the weekend has consumed nearly 60 square kilometers of land, prompting the evacuation of over 1,000 people from a recreational park and closure of a popular lake. The fire continues to rage, with firefighters working to contain it and put out the flames, but as of Monday morning, only 8% of the fire has been brought under control.
With 1,150 firefighters and seven tanker planes involved in the effort, the National Interagency Fire Center has warned of the fire’s “extreme igneous behavior,” citing low visibility and strong winds of up to 80 kilometers per hour as major challenges. The region is notorious for its wildfires, and the current fire comes at a particularly critical time.
Experts have warned that recent wet winters have led to rapid growth of vegetation, which could become a fire hazard as droughts set in over the coming weeks and months. In some parts of California, grasslands and trees are already dry and vulnerable to fire risks. The National Weather Service has reported that fuel elements dry quickly, contributing to fire spread.
According to Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, the recent wet winters have led to significant growth in grass and weeds, which are now starting to dry out. This is a worrying sign for the region, which is also bracing for a potentially historic heat wave this week, with temperatures expected to soar to unusually high levels in central and eastern parts of the United States.