The wildfire spreading in the Los Angeles area of California, one of the most powerful countries in the world, has proven to be helpless.
The fire started on Tuesday morning from a place called Pacific Palisades. As the fire became catastrophic, a large area of Los Angeles city has been reduced to ashes, according to the BBC. Many houses, shops, schools, places of worship, and hotels have been destroyed in the blaze.
Efforts to extinguish the fire using helicopters and fire engines are ongoing, but they appear to be ineffective. International media outlets have reported that efforts to control the fire have been almost entirely unsuccessful.
After the fire spread, there has been a shortage of water to put it out, according to the BBC. The government has appealed to the local residents to conserve water. Attempts have been made to transport water from swimming pools to extinguish the fire.
So far, five people have died in the fire, and thousands have been displaced. The BBC has reported that at least 100,000 people have been forced to leave their homes.
The fire has spread across more than 17,000 acres, according to authorities. Hollywood Hills has also been affected by the fire, and many celebrity homes have been destroyed.
The disaster caused by the fire has also affected the Oscars nomination process. The nominations, scheduled to begin on January 17, have been delayed by two days.
During the wildfire in Los Angeles, incidents of looting have increased. The police have arrested 20 people involved in the looting.
This wildfire is considered the most destructive in California’s history.
Why was the fire so devastating?
According to the BBC, there are two main reasons why the fire in the U.S. has been so catastrophic: first, the dry weather, and second, the strong winds.
BBC’s environmental correspondent, Matt McGrath, stated that California has not received any rain for several months. Due to the daytime heat, leaves and branches have dried up. The trees in the forests have also dried out, which has acted as fuel for the fire.
In this season, strong winds blow through Southern California. These are called ‘Santa Ana Winds.’ These winds typically move from Southern California to the coastline at speeds of 100 to 110 kilometers per hour. However, the BBC has reported that such dangerous winds have been blowing in this area for over a decade.
The speed of the wind has helped the fire spread quickly.
While wildfires have occurred in the past, they were typically limited to hilly areas. However, it is now reported that the strong winds have caused the fire to spread into urban areas.
According to U.S. climate experts, there is still a possibility that strong winds will continue, and the fire may spread further.
Climate researcher Daniel Swen wrote on social media, “There is still a risk of the fire spreading in urban areas.”
