Fierce Winds Fueling Lethal Wildfires in Southern California
Over 100,000 individuals are currently under evacuation orders as wildfires impact densely populated areas in Los Angeles County.
Wind gusts reaching up to 100 miles per hour, along with sustained winds of up to 83 miles per hour in certain regions, threaten communities in Los Angeles County, where four fires are active, and the death toll is rising.
According to Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna, five fatalities have been reported due to the fast-moving Eaton Fire, which has scorched approximately 10,600 acres in Pasadena and Altadena.
Santa Ana winds pose a significant threat as they drastically reduce humidity and elevate temperatures, heightening the fire risk.
Cal Fire reports that high winds are complicating firefighting efforts, as aircraft are frequently grounded due to hazardous conditions and decreased visibility.
Meteorologists from the National Weather Service anticipate further high winds for several highly populated counties, including Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, Ventura, San Bernardino, and San Diego, with gusts potentially reaching 100 miles per hour until 6 p.m. on January 8.
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“This is a rapidly evolving situation. Fires are spreading across the entire county, which is straining our resources,” Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger stated during a press conference on January 8.
Palisades Fire
A fire named the Palisades Fire ignited at 10:30 a.m. on January 7 in the mountainous regions of the Pacific Palisades in northern Los Angeles County.
By early afternoon on January 8, at least 1,000 structures were reported destroyed, with over 30,000 residents facing mandatory evacuation orders.
The fire is fully uncontained and is moving westward in the Santa Monica Mountains, as indicated by the Cal Fire incident map, having consumed more than 15,800 acres.
Eaton Fire
Nearly 100,000 people are currently under evacuation orders or warnings—approximately split equally—due to the Eaton Fire, which ignited at 6:23 p.m. on January 7 in the Altadena/Pasadena region north of Los Angeles.
Initially reported at around 400 acres, the fire rapidly expanded overnight and now covers over 10,600 acres.
A person uses a garden hose to protect a neighboring home from the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., on January 8, 2025. Mario Tama/Getty Images
Two deaths have been reported, alongside dozens of injuries and at least 100 structures destroyed, with no containment as of the latest updates on January 8.
Hurst Fire
More than 44,000 residents are under evacuation orders due to the Hurst Fire, which began at 10:25 p.m. on January 7 near Diamond Road and the I-210 freeway in Sylmar.
Approximately 40,000 structures are at risk from the blaze, which has surpassed 500 acres with zero containment, threatening Sylmar, the San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita.
Local fire officials report that their resources are stretched thin.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone stated that all residents are currently at risk and urged adherence to evacuation orders, as firefighters are encountering “a high number of significant injuries to those who did not evacuate.”
“Your safety must come first,” Marrone advised.
Kristin Crowley, chief of the Los Angeles City Fire Department, mentioned that the fires are “testing the limits of emergency services.”
She relayed that over 3,600 emergency calls were made in the past 24 hours, more than double the usual volume.
Assistance is on the way from neighboring counties and nearby states like Washington, Nevada, and Oregon.
A firefighter combats the Palisades Fire as it engulfs a structure in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles, Calif., on January 7, 2025. Ethan Swope/AP Photo
State and Federal Assistance
California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency shortly after the fires ignited, with Federal Emergency Management Agency aid arranged for the affected areas.
He expressed appreciation for those working to protect communities and urged anyone in danger’s path to heed local officials’ instructions.
“We extend our deepest gratitude to our skilled firefighters and first responders who swiftly engaged in combating this perilous fire,” Newsom remarked. “If you reside in Southern California, please stay updated with weather alerts and comply with emergency guidelines.”
Sheriff’s deputies are working tirelessly to assist in evacuating residents, and multiple arrests for looting in evacuated zones have already occurred.
“If you’re considering entering these areas to commit theft, rest assured you will be apprehended, arrested, and prosecuted,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna warned during the morning press conference.
Five schools in Los Angeles County located within evacuation zones—including Palisades High School, which has sustained damage—are closed, alongside around 100 other schools due to concerns about air quality.
All schools within the Pasadena Unified School District are also closed.
Emergency Preparedness
Weather forecasts earlier in the week highlighted the potential for a hazardous fire event due to expected high winds, prompting the state to pre-position resources in anticipation of emergencies.
Equipment—including 65 fire engines, nine bulldozers, seven helicopters, and seven water tenders—was deployed, along with over 105 personnel to Southern California counties.
Additionally, Cal Fire relocated 45 fire engines and six hand crews from Northern California, where rain has reduced fire risk, to the southern regions of the state.
California boasts the largest aerial firefighting fleet globally, with over 60 aircraft. Recent upgrades feature 13 helicopters known as “Fire Hawks,” capable of safe nighttime operations, each equipped with a 1,000-gallon water tank, and faster than the Black Hawk helicopters they resemble.
The state is also focusing on wildfire resilience within forested areas, with all planned projects either completed or underway, and plans to invest $2.6 billion over the next four years to implement this strategy.
Technology is aiding firefighters in strategizing their operations. Artificial intelligence software, satellite imagery, and over 1,000 infrared cameras contribute to fire activity detection.
Political Tension
With the wildfires spreading rapidly, President-elect Donald Trump suggested in a January 8 Truth Social post that the state’s water policies might share some responsibility.
He claimed that the governor “failed to sign the water restoration declaration provided to him, which could have allowed millions of gallons of water from excess rain and snowmelt from the North to flow daily into many areas of California, including the regions currently experiencing catastrophic fires.”
The incoming president noted that certain environmental regulations are hindering human activities and vowed to ensure that “beautiful, clean freshwater flows into California.”
“He prioritized an essentially worthless fish called a smelt over the welfare of the people of California,” Trump stated. “Now the consequences are tragically evident.”
Trump’s team informed The Epoch Times via email that a memorandum signed during his first term in 2020 aimed at increasing water flows to California was contested in court by the state.
The governor’s office countered these claims, challenging the existence of the document Trump cited.
“No such document as the water restoration declaration exists. That is purely fictional,” Izzy Gardon, director of communications for Newsom’s office, stated in an email to The Epoch Times on January 8.
“The Governor’s focus is on ensuring the safety of the public, not engaging in political battles, while guaranteeing that firefighters have all the necessary resources.”
