Fast-moving Southern California wildfire forces thousands to flee
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A firefighter attempts to control the blaze burning a house as the Mountain Fire scorches Camarillo, California, on Nov. 6. Photo: Etienne Laurent / AFP via Getty Images
Fire danger and strong winds in Southern California prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders for thousands in Ventura County — where staff at the National Weather Service's Oxnard office were among those having to flee on Wednesday.
The big picture: Hundreds of firefighters were battling the fast-moving Mountain Fire in Ventura County that injured several people who had to be hospitalized and impacted numerous structures as it burned out of control on Wednesday, the county fire department said.
- Wildfire smoke from the Mountain Fire prompted an air quality watch in neighboring Santa Barbara County as wind conditions blew smoke plume offshore towards the Channel Islands, while the extreme conditions made a fixed-wing aircraft unable to assist in firefighting efforts.
By the numbers: Officials said the blaze had burned more than 14,100 acres and was 0% contained as of Wednesday night, as Southern California Edison announced power shutoffs for tens of thousands of customers across six counties, including Ventura and Los Angeles "due to heightened wildfire risk."
Threat level: Southern California faces a period of "extremely critical" fire danger as strong Santa Ana winds create tinderbox-like conditions in metro Los Angeles and other areas from Wednesday through Friday.
- The National Weather Service has raised the alert level for this fire weather event to the highest on the scale, issuing a rare "particularly dangerous situation" red flag warning through Thursday.
- The so-called "PDS warning" is in effect for the southern Ventura County Mountains, San Fernando Valley and Ventura County inland coast to Malibu and Oxnard, and parts of San Diego County, the NWS said.
- The highest fire danger, due to a combination of powerful winds of up to 100 mph along with extremely low humidity values of 8% to 15%, is focused on large parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
- The NWS forecast office in Los Angeles is warning of "extreme and life-threatening fire behavior" should any wildfires ignite.
Similar weather patterns have historically been associated with fast-spreading and deadly fires in the "wildland urban interface," where homes border areas with dry vegetation and hilly terrain.
State of play: The state secured a federal grant from FEMA to make more resources available to suppress the Mountain Fire, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.
- "We're continuing to provide state and local firefighters with the support needed to save lives and property from this aggressive blaze," he said.
- Schools in Ventura County announced they would close on Thursday due to the fire threat.
- In addition to the Ventura County wildfire, firefighters were also tackling the Broad Fire in Malibu, which the LA County Fire Department said was being held at 50 acres with 15% containment near the Pacific Coast Highway Wednesday evening.
Context: Climate change is a key factor leading to an increase in days with extreme fire weather conditions in the Southwest.
- This fall, heat waves following wet conditions have led to a buildup of fire-prone, dry vegetation in the threatened areas.
- More frequent weather whiplash events between hotter, drier weather and wetter, cooler conditions is also a predicted climate change consequence.
- Fall is the typical time of year that Southern California sees its dangerous offshore wind events, but the current one is shaping up to be especially threatening.
Go deeper: Climate change harming young people's mental health, study says
Editor's note: This article has been updated with new details throughout.
