California wildfires: Mitigation of extreme winds should boost fire suppression efforts | California wildfires

The extreme winds that caused the disastrous fires in Los Angeles are expected to subside the rest of the week into the weekend, allowing firefighters to continue their efforts to put out the massive Palisades and Eaton fires that are burning for over a week.

The National Weather Service said Thursday that “the nine-day wind siege is finally over” and that the weekend would bring a “significant cooling trend” with higher humidity to the region. But he warned that strong winds could resume early next week.

As of Thursday morning, Los Angeles’ two largest fires were still less than 50% contained. The Palisades Fire is 21% contained after burning 23,700 acres, while the Eaton Fire is 45% contained after burning 14,100 acres. Even after the forecast called for a “particularly dangerous” wind situation on Wednesday, firefighters managed to keep the fires within their footprint over the past few days.

Both fires proved deadly and destructive. Authorities said at least 25 people died in the fires, while a total of 12,000 structures were destroyed. Estimates put the total cost of damage from the fire at around $250 billion, making it the costliest fire in U.S. history.

More than 80,000 people remain under mandatory evacuation orders, and many are eager to return to their homes. But officials said it would take time for them to conduct inspections and remove dangerous debris from neighborhoods. As of Wednesday afternoon, the Palisades and Eaton fire inspections were only half-complete, and no timetable has been given to residents as to when they will be completed, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Los Angeles Fire Capt. Erik Scott said the timeline for returning people home will vary because damage must be mapped and recorded.

“We want people to have realistic expectations,” he told the New York Times.

The final evacuation orders after the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif., in 2018 were lifted a month after the fire started, according to the Times. Residents of Lahaina, Maui, were allowed to return home two months after a 2023 fire.

The California National Guard deployed troops to monitor neighborhoods that were evacuated, preventing residents from returning to check on their homes.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass met with displaced residents Wednesday and said at a news conference that the city would try to ensure a speedy rebuilding process for those who lost their homes.

“People are ready to start now,” she said. “If your property burned and you want to rebuild it exactly as it was before, you shouldn’t have to go through a complex and lengthy permitting process. »