Over the weekend, multiple wildfires broke out in California. As of Friday evening on the 16th, fires in San Diego, Orange County, and Yuba County were still not under control, while wildfires reignited in the Malibu area of Los Angeles County and near Eaton Canyon in San Gabriel Valley. Currently, firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the fires, with no reports of casualties.
In Los Angeles County, two wildfires occurred on Thursday, while fires in San Diego and Orange County erupted on Friday. The causes of the fires are still under investigation.
According to CalFire, the “Bryson Fire” near Encinal Canyon Road in northeast Malibu has burned 147 acres with a containment rate of 39%.
Following the Bryson Fire outbreak, authorities issued two evacuation orders and evacuation warnings for 12 areas, setting up a shelter at Agoura High School. So far, 64 fire engines and 2 helicopters have been mobilized, with a total of 414 personnel deployed.
The “Peaks Fire” in Azusa has burned 43 acres with a containment rate of 41%; evacuation orders were lifted on Thursday afternoon but one evacuation warning remains in place.
The “Norte Fire” in Orange County erupted on Thursday morning at 11:33. The fire broke out near Portico Del Norte and Eminencia Del Norte in San Clemente, covering an area of 465 acres.
Authorities issued 5 evacuation orders and set up shelters at San Clemente Community Center and San Juan Capistrano Community Center. Photos from the fire department show wildfires raging on several hills, thick smoke billowing, and flames spreading.
In addition, the “Henderson Fire” erupted at Henderson St. at Brown St., near the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in northern San Diego on Thursday afternoon at 2:35. By Friday evening, the wildfire had consumed 2,080 acres of land with a containment rate of 20%.
According to CalFire, smoke is blanketing the area, and the fire is consuming brush and grasslands. One of the two major roads connecting San Diego to Los Angeles, Interstate 5, is completely closed between Vandergrift Blvd. and Basilone Rd.
California is currently in a peak wildfire season, with red flag warnings issued for counties including Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and others. Before and after Friday, the National Weather Service also issued high-temperature and strong wind warnings for San Diego County, Los Angeles County, Ventura County, and other regions.
The strong wind warning indicates that gusty winds in the Santa Ana Mountains and foothills will continue until midday Saturday, with northeast winds shifting to east winds, speeds of 20-30 miles per hour, gusts reaching 40-55 mph, and localized peak gusts up to 60 mph. Under strong winds, areas could experience power outages.
Forecasters predict moderate to strong Santa Ana winds affecting Ventura and Los Angeles counties, with a 30%-40% chance of gusts up to 90 mph in the Los Angeles mountain areas on Friday and temperatures approaching 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Coastal and valley areas could see gusts peaking at 45-65 mph.
The red flag warning areas issued by the National Weather Service cover parts of Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara, and San Luis Obispo counties, including some mountainous and hilly areas.
A red flag warning signifies extreme wildfire weather conditions currently or expected soon. Extra caution should be exercised with any items that could potentially spark fires. Residents living on forest edges should be prepared to evacuate in case of a wildfire outbreak.
The meteorological office also stated that, collectively, these factors pose a high risk of large-scale wildfires and rapidly spreading fires in most areas of the aforementioned counties. ◇