Southern California is grappling with a relentless fire season, fueled by dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds. Multiple wildfires have erupted across Los Angeles and Ventura counties, forcing evacuations and prompting a red flag fire weather warning. While rain is forecast for the weekend, it is not expected to significantly alleviate the fire threat.
Southern California 's relentless fire season continues to rage, defying the promise of imminent rainfall. Over the past day, hundreds of weary firefighters have engaged in a grueling battle against multiple wildfires that have erupted across the hills encompassing Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
These blazes include a massive fire near Castaic, an early morning inferno in the Sepulveda Pass threatening the affluent neighborhoods of Brentwood and Bel-Air, and another that encroached upon Ventura County farmland Thursday morning. Thankfully, aggressive water drops and strong, yet not catastrophic, winds have managed to contain the damage inflicted by these fires. These winds, while powerful, haven't reached the intensity witnessed during the devastating January 7th firestorms that ravaged thousands of structures, including countless homes.Around 9:40 a.m. Thursday, a brush fire ignited in Camarillo, scorching 50 acres and prompting temporary evacuations at Cal State Channel Islands. Firefighters promptly deployed water drops onto the blaze, successfully halting its relentless advance as it consumed brush along Round Mountain. Hours earlier, before dawn broke, firefighters descended upon the Sepulveda fire, which erupted on the arid hillsides flanking the 405 Freeway, menacing multimillion-dollar homes. By 2 a.m., firefighters had managed to stop the fire's forward progress, and by Thursday afternoon, it was 60% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Shortly after 4 p.m., two additional brush fires erupted in Riverside County - the 3-acre Reche fire in Moreno Valley and the 15-acre Gibbel fire in Hemet. While these fires were quickly subdued, they served as a stark reminder of the precarious situation Southern California faces as it endured a fourth consecutive day of red flag fire weather warnings.'This is a dangerous fire day today,' the National Weather Service posted on X. 'Winds will continue to increase and expand this morning. Humidity is already extremely dry. Much of LA and Ventura counties are at critical Red Flag levels. Any new fire can grow rapidly.' Red flag warnings have been issued for some part of Southern California for 14 out of the last 17 days. This period began on January 7th, the day the Palisades and Eaton fires unleashed their destructive fury, leveling vast swaths of Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and Altadena. The most extensive blaze ignited this week was the Hughes fire, which erupted just before 11 a.m. Wednesday. By Thursday evening, it had devoured approximately 10,400 acres in the area north of Castaic, forcing thousands to flee their homes. More than 31,000 people were ordered to evacuate, and warnings were issued to another 23,000. As crews gained control over the blaze, some evacuation orders and warnings were downgraded Thursday. However, the fire remained 36% contained as of Thursday evening. Firefighters continue to face formidable challenges amidst unpredictable weather conditions. Santa Ana winds are expected to intensify and peak throughout Thursday, but they will persist through at least Friday morning, according to the weather service, which has extended its red flag fire weather warning through Friday at 10 a.m. for much of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Ventura counties. Temperatures in the Castaic area are anticipated to reach the high 70s or low 80s on Thursday, exacerbating the already dry conditions. Humidity across Southern California has plummeted below 10%. “We’re still in the middle of this extended period of extreme dryness, and we’re looking at this next wind enhancement picking up,” said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist with the weather service. With the air so parched — and no respite overnight — it is a “really concerning period for humidities,” Kittell said. Plants and other fuels are “ready to burn.” However, a glimmer of hope emerges on the horizon as rain is predicted for Southern California. Precipitation could commence as early as Saturday afternoon and continue until Monday night. Rainfall totals could reach nine-tenths of an inch in Covina; nearly three-quarters of an inch in downtown L.A., Long Beach, and Santa Clarita; two-thirds of an inch in Redondo Beach; three-fifths of an inch in Fillmore and Canoga Park; and about half an inch in Thousand Oaks and Oxnard. Eleven inches of snow could accumulate on Wrightwood, and 4 inches along the Grapevine section of Interstate 5. 'It's not going to get us out of the fire season,' Bryan Lewis, a meteorologist with the weather service, said of the rain. 'With those much higher relative humidities coming in it'll certainly help firefighters' efforts.'President Trump is scheduled to visit California on Friday to witness the extent of the fire damage firsthand. In an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that aired Wednesday night, the president hinted that he may withhold aid to California until the state modifies its management of water resources. Trump blamed California's conservation efforts for the endangered Delta smelt in the northern part of the state for fire hydrants running dry in Los Angeles. 'I don't think we should give California anything until they let water flow down,' he said
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