Fire-hit LA faces new peril as dangerous gusts are forecast

Los Angeles - Powerful winds forecast for Jan 15 threatened to whip up massive fires still burning around Los Angeles, possibly worsening an inferno that has killed at least 25 people.

A week after blazes erupted and spread uncontained,

forecasters predicted that “particularly dangerous” Santa Ana winds would spike.

“Stay aware of your surroundings. Be ready to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire,” the National Weather Service (NWS) said, warning of gusts of up to 110kmh between 3am and 3pm on Jan 15.

Part of Los Angeles County and much of neighbouring Ventura County were in a “Particularly Dangerous Situation”, according to the NWS, a designation that was in effect before last week’s deadly blazes.

“All the plants and vegetation are really dry and ready to burn so... fires can grow pretty fast,” meteorologist Ryan Kittell told AFP on Jan 14.

The Palisades and Eaton fires – both of which are still burning in places – could flare up, and new ignitions could quickly turn problematic, he said.

Officials insisted they were poised for any renewed threats, particularly around the existing burn sites, after hydrants ran dry in the initial firefight.

“We have checked the water system in the Eaton fire area, and it is operational, meaning that we have water and we have pressure,” fire chief Anthony Marrone said.

The renewed danger comes with 9,700ha of the upmarket Pacific Palisades in ruins and 5,700ha of the community of Altadena badly charred.

Gusting winds were also whipping up toxic ash, with health officials urging everyone to wear a mask.

“Ash is not just dirt,” said Mr Anish Mahajan of the Los Angeles County Public Health Department. “It’s hazardous fine dust that can irritate or harm your respiratory system and other parts of your body where it lands.”

California Governor Gavin Newsom on Jan 14 ordered debris removal teams to be on standby, as emergency managers look ahead to possible winter rainstorms that could provoke mudslides.

Some Palisades locals have decided not to wait, working to remove scorched debris from roads and pavements themselves.

Contractor Chuck Hart and his crew were working on a construction site in his neighborhood when the fire broke out.

After they saved his mother’s house from encroaching flames, Mr Hart said they began making rounds to clean debris from the streets.

“We just rock-and-rolled,” he said. “We’ve just been doing that non-stop ever since. We’re going to do everything we can to get this place back up and running as quickly as possible.”

‘Unimaginable’

Around 88,000 people remain displaced.

For those whose homes survived, there is frustration about not being able to return.

For others, there is nothing left.

“We all left with the clothes on our back,” Ms Sonja Jackson told the Los Angeles Times as she waited in line for government help.

“We thought we’d be able to come back in the morning. We didn’t think the fires were gonna do what they did.”

The scale of the disaster was still difficult for many to grasp, with Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass saying it was only after flying over the area that she had started to appreciate the immensity of the damage.

“It’s one thing to see it on television, it’s another thing to see it from the air. The massive, massive destruction is unimaginable until you actually see it,” she said.

AccuWeather increased its assessment of the total cost of the tragedy to between US$250 billion and US$275 billion (between S$340 billion and S$370 billion), a figure that would make it one of the most costly in US history.

Federal authorities said on Jan 14 that they have launched a probe into the causes of the fires, but warned it could take time.

“We know everyone wants answers, and the community deserves answers. ATF will give you those answers, but it will be once we complete a thorough investigation,” said Mr Jose Medina of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). AFP