LOS ANGELES (AP) — Dangerous winds returned to Southern California on Tuesday as firefighters battled new fires amid dry conditions, and a pair of major blazes burned for a third week in the Los Angeles area. Forecasters warned that gusts could peak at 70 mph (113...
CA Is Years Behind in Implementing a Law to Make Homes More Fire Resistant
By TRÂN NGUYỄN Associated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Reeling from destructive wildfires, including the deadliest in California history, state lawmakers in 2020 passed new requirements for clearing combustible materials like dead plants and wooden furniture within...
Congress Weighs Reining In Environmentalists, Streamlining Hiring in Wildfire Aid Package
Faith E. Pinho Los Angeles Times (TNS) As congressional leaders wrestle over whether to add conditions to federal aid in response to the Los Angeles County wildfires, a first wave of bills has been put forward by Republicans and Democrats alike in response to the...
Strategy, Meals, and Laundry: The Monumental Effort Behind The Los Angeles Firefight
By JESSE BEDAYN Associated Press/Report for America On a recent day fighting the Los Angeles wildfires, a fire crew's radios crackled to life, warning of nearby flames as helicopter blades thudded overhead. Juan Tapia — an experienced firefighter from Morelia, Mexico...
Fire Tornadoes Are a Risk Under CA Extreme Wildfire Conditions
By HOLLY RAMER Associated Press As if they aren’t already facing enough, firefighters in California also could encounter fire tornadoes — a rare but dangerous phenomenon in which wildfires create their own weather. The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that the...
Los Angeles Wildfires Latest: Firefighters Prepare for Dry Conditions and Strong Winds
By The Associated Press Firefighters around Los Angeles were preparing on Tuesday to attack flare-ups or new blazes. The National Weather Service issued a rare warning that dry winds combined with severely dry conditions created a “ particularly dangerous...
Officials Investigating Whether Southern California Edison Equipment Ignited Hurst Fire
Kevin Rector - Los Angeles Times Fire agencies are investigating whether downed Southern California Edison utility equipment played a role in igniting the Hurst fire near Sylmar, company officials said. The company issued a report Friday saying that a downed conductor...
Los Angeles Wildfires Latest: 16 Dead; Firefighters Race Against Forecasted Wind Uptick
By JAE HONG, HOLLY RAMER and MICHAEL R. BLOOD Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the...
Amid Criticism of Her Leadership, Los Angeles Mayor Bass Announces Federal Wildfire Aid
Linh Tat Los Angeles Daily News (TNS) Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Thursday, Jan. 9, that she had spoken with President Joe Biden and that the federal government will pay for 100% of firefighting costs stemming from this week’s multiple wildfires, as she...
Los Angeles Wildfires Latest: Five Dead, Fire Remains Uncontrolled as Winds Ease
Firefighters battled early Thursday to control a series of major fires in the Los Angeles area that have killed five people, ravaged communities from the Pacific Coast to Pasadena and sent thousands of people frantically fleeing their homes. Ferocious winds that drove...
Two Killed in CA Wildfires; Over 1,000 Structures Burned
Fierce wildfires are raging in the Los Angeles area, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, sending residents fleeing from burning homes through flames, ferocious winds and towering clouds of smoke. Thousands of firefighters were battling at least three separate blazes,...
Strong Winds Hit Southern CA, Create Extreme Fire Risk
Nathaniel Percy - The Press-Enterprise Strong winds — with gusts as high as 79 mph in the San Gabriel Mountains — began blowing their way through Southern California on Tuesday morning, Jan. 7, leading to the possibility of downed trees and wires, power outages and...