Palisades Fire Expands to 700 Acres Amid Strong Winds in Los Angeles (Photos)

 Palisades Fire Expands to 700 Acres Amid Strong Winds in Los Angeles (Photos)

The Palisades Fire, which started around 11 a.m. local time, had burned 772 acres by 3:10 p.m. PST, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Evacuation orders were issued for residents in the Palisades area and along a segment of the Pacific Coast Highway.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a red flag warning for Southern California due to warm temperatures, strong winds, and low humidity. The warning is in effect from Tuesday to Wednesday for Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, and Ventura counties, and from Tuesday to Thursday for San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, and San Diego counties.

Wind gusts in Southern California are expected to range from 50 to 80 mph, with gusts up to 100 mph possible in mountainous areas and foothills through Wednesday night. The NWS warned that these conditions could lead to downed trees and power lines, potentially causing “widespread power outages.”

In the San Fernando Valley, a densely populated region north of the Hollywood Hills, sporadic power outages have already been reported. As of 2:10 p.m. PST, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power reported that a few thousand customers were without power.

Los Angeles International Airport, located about 19 miles south of Pacific Palisades, has not reported any major flight delays or cancellations as of Tuesday afternoon, according to FlightAware.

Fire Risks in Southern California

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued warnings of elevated to critical fire weather across much of Southern California on Tuesday. The critical fire weather area is expected to expand by 278 square miles on Wednesday, encompassing a total of 5,035 square miles. Additionally, the NWS has announced an extreme fire weather alert—the highest level of fire potential—covering 1,463 square miles from Wednesday to Thursday. This alert includes regions such as Santa Clarita, Simi Valley, Altadena, Moorpark, and Santa Paula.

Key Background

La Niña weather patterns, associated with dry conditions and drought in southern parts of the U.S., have likely contributed to the heightened fire risks in Southern California. Over the past eight months, Los Angeles has received minimal rainfall and experienced a particularly dry winter. According to the Los Angeles Times, the city has not recorded over a tenth of an inch of rainfall since May, intensifying drought conditions. These factors, combined with strong winds, are fueling Tuesday's fires and mirror conditions seen during the Pacific Palisades fire of 2021, which burned more than 1,200 acres.

Additional Reading

• With Negligible Rain in Eight Months, Southern California Swings Toward Drought (LA Times)
• Residents Flee on Foot as Palisades Fire Torches Hillside Homes (LAist)