California Wildfires
2021
2022
2023
2024
2024-03-02
  • Fueled by dry grass, harsh winds and unseasonably warm temperatures, the [Smokehouse Creek fire](https://www.nytimes.com/article/texas-smokehouse-creek-fire.html) in the Texas Panhandle has now burned more than 1.1 million acres, making it the largest fire in the state’s recorded history. At more than a million acres burned, it is also one of the largest wildfires recorded in the United States. Almost all of the largest wildfires in U.S. history, including the Texas fire, are in fact not one fire with a single point of ignition but a combination of fires burning close together. They are what are known as fire [complexes](https://www.nytimes.com/article/wildfire-firefighter-terms.html) and are attacked by firefighters under a unified command. Here is a look back at five of the largest wildfires ever recorded in the United States. 2020 — Northern California The [largest wildfire](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/15/us/oregon-fires-california.html) in California’s recorded history was a merger of nearly 40 fires, most started by lightning strikes during August in Mendocino County, a rural area about 90 miles north of San Francisco. It burned through 1,032,648 acres and caused the death of a firefighter. Overall, 2020 was a [brutal year](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/24/us/california-fires.html) of wildfires in California, with the state experiencing about 10,000 separate fires. The wildfire season that year consumed 4.3 million acres and killed 33 people, [according to scientists](https://www.ucdavis.edu/climate/news/californias-2020-wildfire-season-numbers). 2004 — ALASKA Lightning also caused this group of fires in August, during a time of dry weather. It consumed about 1.3 million acres in a sparsely populated area of [eastern Alaska](https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Inset-map-of-Alaska-showing-location-and-extent-of-the-Taylor-Complex-The-locations-of_fig2_228613547) near the border with Canada. It was part of a record fire season in Alaska that burned more than 6.5 million acres. No deaths were reported. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F03%2F01%2Fus%2Flargest-wildfires-us.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F03%2F01%2Fus%2Flargest-wildfires-us.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F03%2F01%2Fus%2Flargest-wildfires-us.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2024%2F03%2F01%2Fus%2Flargest-wildfires-us.html).
2024-06-07
  • More than 50,000 people have died prematurely in [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) over a decade due to exposure to toxic particles in wildfire smoke, according to a new study. Wildfires create smoke containing PM2.5, tiny particles roughly one-thirtieth of a human hair that can embed themselves deep in the lungs and enter the bloodstream. The particles have been linked to numerous health conditions and premature death. [Previous research](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/22/air-quality-wildfire-smoke-pollution-health-risks) has found that the wildfire smoke is exposing millions of people in the US to the harmful pollutant. In a study published in Science Advances this week, researchers used a new epidemiological model to examine the impacts of wildfire PM2.5 exposure between 2008-2018: a period that includes some of the state’s most destructive and deadly fire seasons. There were at least 52,480 premature deaths attributed to exposure to the inhalable particulate matter from wildfires, and at least $432bn in health expenses associated with the exposure, according to the study. The research is the first to quantify the long-term impacts of chronic exposure to PM2.5 specifically from wildfires, rather than other sources, and has important implications for California, said Rachel Connolly, an author of the study. The results suggest that wildfires are responsible for more deaths and greater economic impacts than previous studies have indicated. “The findings are really a call to action for forest management and climate change mitigation,” said Connolly, who is the project director at the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation and also works within the Fielding School of Public Health. Researchers are only just starting to grasp the [impacts of PM2.5 exposure](https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jun/19/wildfires-new-york-canada-toxicologist) on [human health](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/04/what-is-californias-wildfire-smoke-doing-to-our-health-scientists-paint-a-bleak-picture), but the particles can reduce lung function and worsen existing health conditions, including respiratory problems and heart disease. Particulate matter from wildfires can be more harmful to human health than from other sources, the study reports, and is associated with respiratory illnesses and increased hospitalizations. Other studies have [linked](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/22/air-quality-wildfire-smoke-pollution-health-risks) exposure to wildfire smoke to increased risks of heart attacks and premature births. California has seen numerous devastating fires in recent years, including a historically [brutal season in 2020](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/dec/30/california-wildfires-north-complex-record#:~:text=It%20was%20the%20state%27s%20worst,16%20people%20in%20its%20wake.) during which 31 people died and skies across the American west turned an eerie orange, exposing 25 million people to toxic air from fires. Experts and scientists have attributed the increasing intensity of wildfires to years of misguided fire suppression policies, forest management practices and a landscape that has grown hotter and drier amid the climate crisis. The disasters have killed dozens of people, destroyed communities and exposed millions to wildfire smoke. [skip past newsletter promotion](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/jun/07/california-premature-deaths-wildfire-smoke-study#EmailSignup-skip-link-10) Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential **Privacy Notice:** Newsletters may contain info about charities, online ads, and content funded by outside parties. For more information see our [Privacy Policy](https://www.theguardian.com/help/privacy-policy). We use Google reCaptcha to protect our website and the Google [Privacy Policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [Terms of Service](https://policies.google.com/terms) apply. after newsletter promotion People should take action to protect themselves from wildfire smoke, Connolly said, but the findings of this study suggest society needs to invest in forest management, wildland urban interface management and climate change mitigation in order to yield significant public health benefits. “The importance of wildfire management will only grow in the coming decades as aridification intensifies with climate change and more regions become susceptible to fires,” the authors write in the study.
2024-07-04
  • 6 hours ago By Mallory Moench, BBC News Blazing infernos force evacuations in northern California Tens of thousands of people in northern California have been told to leave their homes as wildfires grow across the state during a heatwave. About 28,000 people were under evacuation warnings or orders on Thursday after the Thompson fire broke out two days earlier, according to California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire). Dangerously hot weather is expected to continue with temperatures of 118F (47C) forecast in some areas until early next week. No one has died, while 74 structures across the state have been destroyed or damaged. The city of Oroville, near where the Thompson fire started, cancelled its 4 July Independence Day fireworks celebration over the risk of starting another blaze. “The last thing we need is somebody who’s purchased fireworks from a local fire stand going out and doing something stupid,” Butte County Sheriff Kory Honea said. “Don’t be an idiot, cause a fire and create more problems for us.” Mr Honea said the area had seen four fires within the last couple of weeks and cautioned that danger was far from over. “This is a bad fire season," he added. Fire season started recently in California and usually runs until October. The size and intensity of fires in the state have grown in recent years. The amount of burned areas in the summer in northern and central California increased five times from 1996 to 2021 compared to the 24 year period before, which [scientists attributed](https://www.drought.gov/news/study-finds-climate-change-blame-record-breaking-california-wildfires-2023-08-08#:~:text=Wildfires%20not%20only%20cause%20catastrophic,compared%20to%201971%20to%201995.) to human-caused climate change. * [How climate change worsens heatwaves, droughts, wildfires and floods](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-58073295) This week, the National Weather Service issued excessive heat and red flag warnings - indicating hot, dry and windy weather - across the state. The agency said “dangerous” temperatures posed a major to extreme risk of heat stress or illnesses. According to CalFire, around two dozen fires have burned more than 10 acres sparked across the state since the last week of June. The largest one, at nearly 14,000 acres, was in Fresno county. California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency in Butte County to provide resources. The Thompson fire started in Oroville, about 70 miles north of the state capital Sacramento, on Tuesday. The city is around 20 miles from Paradise, which was devastated by the Camp Fire in 2018 that killed 85 people. Fires hit the region again in the years following. Some 28,000 people were impacted by evacuation orders or warnings as of Thursday, CalFire spokesman Robert Foxworthy told the BBC. The fire was around 3,500 acres and only 7% contained. He said the fire was no longer growing amid lighter wind speeds, but the heat - which was predicted to hit 110F (43C) on Thursday - was the "biggest factor" impacting firefighters. Two days after the fire broke out, many residents remained unable to return home. Brittanie Hardie, a Louisiana native and recent California transplant, [told the San Francisco Chronicle](https://www.sfchronicle.com/california-wildfires/article/oroville-fire-evacuations-19554502.php) that she had not been at home when her girlfriend evacuated their flat, and had nothing but the clothes she was wearing. "I knew wildfires were bad in California, but I didn't know it was this bad," Hardie told the newspaper. Oroville City Council member Shawn Webber posted a video on Facebook on Wednesday showing hillsides smoking on both sides of a road, but thanked firefighters for preventing further destruction. California's state parks system said agencies responding to the fire “also have employees with families displaced by these evacuations who are tirelessly assisting the community of Lake Oroville”.
2024-07-16
  • ![Firefighters work against the advancing Lake Fire in Los Olivos, Calif., Saturday, July 6, 2024. ](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/4500x3000+0+0/resize/%7Bwidth%7D/quality/%7Bquality%7D/format/%7Bformat%7D/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F04%2Fcc%2Fa5c0603144eca8e0a037dae4d808%2Fap24189024137022.jpg) So far in this year’s California’s wildfire season, about 20 times more acres of land have burned than around this time last year. Since the beginning of the year, there were more than 3,500 wildfires across the state through early July, causing about 207,000 acres of land to burn. Around this time last year, about 10,000 acres had burned. The five-year average of acres burned through mid-July is about 39,000, [Cal Fire said last week](https://www.gov.ca.gov/2024/07/10/governor-newsom-and-fire-officials-highlight-californias-wildfire-readiness-and-response/). “We are not just in a fire season, but we are in a fire year,” Joe Tyler, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire), said at a news conference earlier in July. Tyler said Cal Fire and its partners are “fully staffed” with fire trucks, bulldozers, and newly introduced Blackhawk helicopters that can fly at night. As part of its 2024 budget, California will allocate $2.6 billion through 2028 to fighting wildfires and improving forest health, in addition to $200 million annually to help prevent fires. To help with staffing, workweeks will be shortened for state firefighters and the state has set a goal to hire about 2,400 more firefighters in the next five years. More than 95% of wildfires are caused by humans, Tyler said. He warned California residents to be cautious when engaging in activities that can cause sparks, such as mowing lawns, towing vehicles, welding and shooting guns. In hot, dry and windy conditions, as has been the case in California, sparks can ignite into flames. Gov. Gavin Newsom additionally cited record high temperatures and lightning strikes as the source of some of the fires. “Climate change is real … If you don’t believe in science, you have to believe your own eyes, the lived experience all of us have out here in the western United States, for that matter, all around the globe,” he said.
2024-07-23
  • [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Flooding in Drake's house](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b095/live/6c7c02d0-4400-11ef-b74c-bb483a802c97.jpg.webp) Drake's Toronto home 'The Embassy' hit by floods ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/videos/cpd97p33y4jo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Aircraft surrounded by smoke from surrounding wildfire in California, USA](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4ce4/live/e167aa90-3d20-11ef-b74c-bb483a802c97.jpg.webp) California airport engulfed by wildfires ---------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cpd91llve2no) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire raging in California ](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/93a1/live/3cf01440-396d-11ef-bdc5-41d7421c2adf.jpg.webp) Blazing wildfires force evacuations in California ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cllyzngqp0go) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Charred cars](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f2e3/live/245b3dc0-2e77-11ef-90be-b75b34b0bbb2.jpg.webp) Wildfires destroy lives and homes in New Mexico ----------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c288l939exro) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Children play at splash pad in New York City](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ec44/live/46f09de0-2d81-11ef-bdc5-41d7421c2adf.jpg.webp) East Coast residents fight to keep cool in heat wave ---------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/ckrrd9rvgyro) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Firefighters in Los Angeles battle wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e986/live/f5c58930-2cae-11ef-90be-b75b34b0bbb2.jpg.webp) Wildfires burn at least 15,000 acres in California -------------------------------------------------- 17 Jun 2024 ](/news/videos/cx99kpwynwvo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wide shot of wildfire in California](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c76d/live/679b44b0-21b9-11ef-a13a-0b8c563da930.jpg.webp) Grass fires burn thousands of acres in California ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c8880006xygo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire on horizon](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/C7BC/production/_133323115_p0hyrq96.jpg.webp) Canada wildfires force thousands to evacuate -------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-69024951) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire in Northwest Territories](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/E9CA/production/_133305895_p0hxt6pm.jpg.webp) Plumes of wildfire smoke block Canadian motorway ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-69005913) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![A wildfire spread quickly across Glenuig in Lochaber last weekend.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/13D93/production/_133299218_p0hxfh47.jpg.webp) Watch dramatic time lapse of Highland wildfire ---------------------------------------------- ](/news/uk-scotland-68995948) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Mandeep Mooker](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/12B34/production/_133269567_p0hvzv0p.jpg.webp) Canada names three suspects in murder of Sikh activist ------------------------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-68924798) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![John Sculley](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/D498/production/_133242445_p0hts51v.jpg.webp) One mentally ill man's fight for assisted dying ----------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68906793) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Train car fire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/3477/production/_133213431_p0hsfsh5.jpg.webp) Train cars catch fire while moving through Ontario -------------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68878299) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Image of flames and smoke along a Miami highway in Florida](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/DB2A/production/_133160165_p0hr218r.jpg.webp) Huge fires blaze along Miami highway ------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-68824337) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Vermont](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7E4B/production/_133113323_p0hptgjy.jpg.webp) Time-lapses show eclipse sweeping over North America ---------------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68775307) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Image shows the total solar eclipse](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/975E/production/_133105783_p0hpmmnx.jpg.webp) Watch best moments from solar eclipse ------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68758521) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Person using drugs in a safe consumption sit](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/8CB8/production/_133042063_p0hmnp4w.jpg.webp) A recovered addict's view on decriminalisation ---------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68691043) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/16A6A/production/_132987729_p0hl5gdj.jpg.webp) Wildfires rage across parts of the eastern US --------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68632574)
2024-07-25
  • Watch: Wildfires are burning across US and Canada Buildings in the Canadian tourist town of Jasper have been burning after wildfires forced 25,000 people to evacuate the area on Tuesday, officials said. The blaze has spread through Jasper National Park, causing "significant loss" within the town, [according to park officials on X](https://x.com/JasperNP/status/1816325447354859960), formerly Twitter. Hundreds of wildfires have sparked in the western provinces of Alberta and British Columbia (BC). The region has been hit by more than 58,000 lightning strikes within the last week, sparking new blazes after a three-week heat wave, according to BC Wildfire Service. Around 1,900 Alberta firefighters have been deployed, assisted by personnel from Alaska and Australia, and are working to save local infrastructure. ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Getty Images A wildfire in Shetland Creek, British Columbia](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4480/live/92692d90-4a6a-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp)Getty Images Wildfires in British Columbia have been triggered by lightning strikes That includes the Trans Mountain Pipeline, a Canadian government-owned pipeline that runs through Jasper National Park. As of Wednesday it was still operating, with sprinklers being used to protect it. There have been more than 400 fires recorded in British Columbia and 176 in the neighbouring province of Alberta. Fires were first reported in Jasper last week. The town's mayor, Richard Ireland, told CBC that the town was facing its "worst nightmare". Jasper National Park said on X that "air quality had deteriorated" in the area. The park is the largest national park in the Canadian Rockies. After evacuations were issued, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith told residents to "leave safely" on Wednesday. In a post on Facebook, she said she was in "constant contact" with the authorities. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his government has approved a request for federal assistance for Alberta. "We're deploying @CanadianForces resources, evacuations support, and more emergency wildfire resources to the province immediately -- and we're coordinating firefighting and airlift assistance," Mr Trudeau said on X. ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Reuters Firefighters work as Park Fire burns near Chico, California](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/edb5/live/5b459f60-4a60-11ef-8f0f-0577398c3339.jpg.webp)Reuters There have also been wildfires in the US, including Chico, California Earlier in the week, several US states including California and Utah were hit by wildfires. More than 30 million people in the US have been affected by heat warnings since early July, according to the National Weather Service. The warnings are in place in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Washington state.
  • Wildfires spread throughout parts of Northern California, the Pacific Northwest and western Canada this week, causing evacuation orders and sending tens of thousands of firefighters to combat the blazes. Buildings burned to the ground, cities were blanketed in smoke, and hundreds of thousands of acres of land were scorched. The authorities in Calgary, Alberta’s largest city, issued a health advisory saying that smoke from the wildfires was expected to cause very poor air quality, and on Thursday smoke had already reached [as far as New England](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/climate/wildfire-smoke-climate.html). More than 40 fires were burning in Oregon and Washington, including the largest in the nation — the Durkee fire, near Oregon’s border with Idaho, which covered more than 268,000 acres as of Thursday afternoon. The Park fire in Northern California has burned more than 71,400 acres and led to the arrest of a man who officials [said had caused the fire](https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/25/us/wildfires-canada-california-oregon.html). Here’s what photographers and video journalist are seeing on the ground as the blazes spread. Video ![Video player loading](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/07/25/25vid-Canada-wildfires-66853-cover/25vid-Canada-wildfires-66853-cover-threeByTwoLargeAt2X.jpg) Several buildings were destroyed by fire. Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta, said in a news conference that the damage would require a “significant rebuild.” Credit...Spencer Stratton, via Reuters An airplane flying low over a fire burning on the edge of Williams Lake, British Columbia. Credit...Todd Korol/Reuters Downtown Calgary was covered in a haze of smoke from fires in British Columbia. Credit...Brett Brown/U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, via Associated Press An image provided by the U.S. Forest Service shows plums of smoke over rolling fields in eastern Oregon. Video ![Video player loading](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2024/07/25/25vid-California-wildfires-76309-cover/25vid-California-wildfires-76309-cover-threeByTwoLargeAt2X.jpg) CreditCredit...Action News Now via Associated Press Firefighters worked to put out flames that had consumed structures in Chico, Calif. Credit...Fred Greaves/Reuters A home was engulfed in flames as the Park fire burned near Chico. Credit...Fred Greaves/Reuters Residents in Chico sat on their cars to watch the fire from a distance. Credit...Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle, via Associated Press A plume of smoke hung over a field in Chico.
2024-08-09
  • [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Firenado caught on camera during wildfire in Chico, California](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/793c/live/17b056a0-4b64-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp) Firenado spotted after huge California park fire ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/videos/c147yr72yp7o) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Vehicle drives through wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d995/live/411b8190-4a9c-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp) Vehicle drives through intense wildfire in California ----------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c2j3258xrgyo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Aircraft surrounded by smoke from surrounding wildfire in California, USA](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4ce4/live/e167aa90-3d20-11ef-b74c-bb483a802c97.jpg.webp) California airport engulfed by wildfires ---------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cpd91llve2no) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire raging in California ](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/93a1/live/3cf01440-396d-11ef-bdc5-41d7421c2adf.jpg.webp) Blazing wildfires force evacuations in California ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cllyzngqp0go) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Charred cars](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f2e3/live/245b3dc0-2e77-11ef-90be-b75b34b0bbb2.jpg.webp) Wildfires destroy lives and homes in New Mexico ----------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c288l939exro) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Firefighters in Los Angeles battle wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e986/live/f5c58930-2cae-11ef-90be-b75b34b0bbb2.jpg.webp) Wildfires burn at least 15,000 acres in California -------------------------------------------------- 17 Jun 2024 ](/news/videos/cx99kpwynwvo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Lava fountaining from long fisures in Kilauea volcano in Hawaii](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/fe00/live/092f0bf0-21ff-11ef-baa7-25d483663b8e.jpg.webp) First images of Hawaii's Kilauea volcano erupting ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cq55y97pgl2o) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wide shot of wildfire in California](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c76d/live/679b44b0-21b9-11ef-a13a-0b8c563da930.jpg.webp) Grass fires burn thousands of acres in California ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c8880006xygo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire on horizon](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/C7BC/production/_133323115_p0hyrq96.jpg.webp) Canada wildfires force thousands to evacuate -------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-69024951) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Savannah Gankiewicz](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/BE8D/production/_133318784_p0hyjkzc.jpg.webp) New Miss USA crowned after previous winner resigns -------------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-69023833) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire in Northwest Territories](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/E9CA/production/_133305895_p0hxt6pm.jpg.webp) Plumes of wildfire smoke block Canadian motorway ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-69005913) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![A wildfire spread quickly across Glenuig in Lochaber last weekend.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/13D93/production/_133299218_p0hxfh47.jpg.webp) Watch dramatic time lapse of Highland wildfire ---------------------------------------------- ](/news/uk-scotland-68995948) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Image of flames and smoke along a Miami highway in Florida](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/DB2A/production/_133160165_p0hr218r.jpg.webp) Huge fires blaze along Miami highway ------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-68824337) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/16A6A/production/_132987729_p0hl5gdj.jpg.webp) Wildfires rage across parts of the eastern US --------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68632574) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Burnt tree stumps](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/1E58/production/_132786770_p0hg4qyq.jpg.webp) Aftermath of Texas wildfire like 'lunar landscape' -------------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68377796) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Flames raging along road in Texas wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/184A7/production/_132759499_texasfire.jpg.webp) Fire truck drives through raging Texas wildfire ----------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68422118)
2024-08-17
  • [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Firenado caught on camera during wildfire in Chico, California](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/793c/live/17b056a0-4b64-11ef-b2d2-cdb23d5d7c5b.jpg.webp) Firenado spotted after huge California park fire ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/videos/c147yr72yp7o) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Vehicle drives through wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/d995/live/411b8190-4a9c-11ef-aebc-6de4d31bf5cd.jpg.webp) Vehicle drives through intense wildfire in California ----------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c2j3258xrgyo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Flooding in Drake's house](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/b095/live/6c7c02d0-4400-11ef-b74c-bb483a802c97.jpg.webp) Drake's Toronto home 'The Embassy' hit by floods ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/videos/cpd97p33y4jo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Aircraft surrounded by smoke from surrounding wildfire in California, USA](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/4ce4/live/e167aa90-3d20-11ef-b74c-bb483a802c97.jpg.webp) California airport engulfed by wildfires ---------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cpd91llve2no) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire raging in California ](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/93a1/live/3cf01440-396d-11ef-bdc5-41d7421c2adf.jpg.webp) Blazing wildfires force evacuations in California ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/cllyzngqp0go) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Charred cars](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/f2e3/live/245b3dc0-2e77-11ef-90be-b75b34b0bbb2.jpg.webp) Wildfires destroy lives and homes in New Mexico ----------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c288l939exro) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Children play at splash pad in New York City](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/ec44/live/46f09de0-2d81-11ef-bdc5-41d7421c2adf.jpg.webp) East Coast residents fight to keep cool in heat wave ---------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/ckrrd9rvgyro) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Firefighters in Los Angeles battle wildfire](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/e986/live/f5c58930-2cae-11ef-90be-b75b34b0bbb2.jpg.webp) Wildfires burn at least 15,000 acres in California -------------------------------------------------- 17 Jun 2024 ](/news/videos/cx99kpwynwvo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wide shot of wildfire in California](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/c76d/live/679b44b0-21b9-11ef-a13a-0b8c563da930.jpg.webp) Grass fires burn thousands of acres in California ------------------------------------------------- ](/news/videos/c8880006xygo) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire on horizon](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/C7BC/production/_133323115_p0hyrq96.jpg.webp) Canada wildfires force thousands to evacuate -------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-69024951) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Wildfire in Northwest Territories](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/E9CA/production/_133305895_p0hxt6pm.jpg.webp) Plumes of wildfire smoke block Canadian motorway ------------------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-69005913) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![A wildfire spread quickly across Glenuig in Lochaber last weekend.](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/13D93/production/_133299218_p0hxfh47.jpg.webp) Watch dramatic time lapse of Highland wildfire ---------------------------------------------- ](/news/uk-scotland-68995948) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Mandeep Mooker](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/12B34/production/_133269567_p0hvzv0p.jpg.webp) Canada names three suspects in murder of Sikh activist ------------------------------------------------------ ](/news/world-us-canada-68924798) [ ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![John Sculley](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/D498/production/_133242445_p0hts51v.jpg.webp) One mentally ill man's fight for assisted dying ----------------------------------------------- ](/news/world-us-canada-68906793)
2024-09-10
  • Several wildfires are burning in Southern California, prompting evacuations and threatening homes as they continue to grow quickly. The Airport fire began burning on Monday, near an airport for remote-controlled planes southeast of Los Angeles, and has led to evacuation orders and recommendations in many communities in the area. The largest of the fires in the area, the Line fire in San Bernardino County, has prompted evacuation orders for thousands of people. Smoke was heaviest southeast of Los Angeles and widespread across the rest of Southern California. Data from air sensors suggested that the air quality was diminished in several places around the Los Angeles area. Air quality was also poor in the Northwest, including in Oregon and Idaho, where [dozens more wildfires](https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/us/fire-maps.html) were burning.
2024-11-07
  • Watch: Homes engulfed by flames as wildfires spread in California Thousands of people have been ordered to evacuate a part of California that has been savaged by wildfire for a second day running. The fast-moving wildfire was first reported near Moorpark, 40 miles north-west of Los Angeles, early on Wednesday and has been boosted by heavy winds. California governor Gavin Newsom confirmed in a statement that more than 10,000 evacuation orders had been issued, while 3,500 homes and other structures were under threat and federal funds had been secured to help fight the fire. The National Weather Service said winds were expected to decrease significantly by Thursday night, but warned that conditions for high fire danger would stay in effect for now. Video footage and images show large plumes of smoke rising in the sky, covering entire neighbourhoods. Ventura County fire chief Dustin Gardner said on Wednesday that the fire was moving "dangerously fast" and destroying everything in its path. "Bushes are burning, grass is burning, hedgerows are burning, agricultural fields are burning and structures are burning," he said. Fire officials also confirmed that two people suffered apparent smoke inhalation and were taken to hospitals on Wednesday. No firefighters reported significant injuries. Officials in several southern Californian counties have meanwhile urged residents to watch out for fast-spreading blazes, power outages and downed trees. The City of Ventura also posted on social media asking residents to limit their water use to ensure firefighters have enough water available to fight the blaze. According to CBS, more than 20 schools in Ventura County will also be shut on Thursday. ![](/bbcx/grey-placeholder.png)![Getty Images Two men, one wearing a blue hoodie and beige cap and another wearing a black top and black cap holding up a camera phone, watch a firefighting helicopter fly above a plume of smoke](https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/480/cpsprodpb/7f2d/live/01d82cc0-9d00-11ef-82c3-45a801b7330b.jpg.webp)Getty Images The fire started during a Santa Ana wind event, featuring strong and dry winds that are sometimes referred to as devil winds. Forecasters had reported gusts ranging from 70 to 80mph in some parts of Los Angeles County on Wednesday. According to the Associated Press, the fire grew from just under 0.5 sq miles (about 1.2 sq km) to more than 16 sq miles (62 sq km) in just over five hours. California is a state that is prone to wildfires. The amount of burned areas in the summer in northern and central California increased five times from 1996 to 2021 compared with the 24-year period before, [which scientists attributed](https://www.drought.gov/news/study-finds-climate-change-blame-record-breaking-california-wildfires-2023-08-08#:~:text=Wildfires%20not%20only%20cause%20catastrophic,compared%20to%201971%20to%201995.) to human-caused climate change. Not all wildfires can automatically be linked directly to climate change. The science is complicated and human factors, including how we manage land and forests, also contribute. However, scientists say that climate change is making weather conditions that lead to wildfires, such as heat and drought, more likely.
2025-01-08
  • Santa Ana winds are common in southern [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) during cooler months and have fueled many of the Golden state’s most ferocious wildfires. Here is everything you need to know: Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of southern California toward the coast and offshore, moving in the opposite direction of the normal onshore flow that carries moist air from the Pacific into the region. Santa Anas are created by high pressure over the Great Basin – the vast desert interior of the west overlapping several states. The sinking air loses its moisture and flows in a clockwise direction toward southern California, where it must get past towering mountain ranges that separate the desert from the metropolitan region lining the coast. Like a slow-moving river that suddenly narrows and turns into rapids, the air speeds up as it squeezes through mountain passes and canyons, becoming drier and warmer as it descends. [Estimated sustained wind speed, at 10pm Pacific Standard Time, 7 January](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/californiawindspeeds-zip/giv-4559jv1ktfTWcVN3/) Humidity levels often plunge to single-digit percentages during a Santa Ana wind. The extreme lack of humidity in the air causes vegetation – living and dead – to significantly dry out and become susceptible to fire. The tremendous wind speeds can stoke any spark – from a fallen power line to a cigarette butt – into a rapidly spreading conflagration. Santa Anas are linked to some of the worst wildfires southern California has experienced, including the Woolsey fire, which killed three people and destroyed more than 1,600 structures in November 2018, and the Franklin fire, which damaged or destroyed nearly 50 homes in the Malibu area. A commonly accepted explanation is that the name is linked to Santa Ana Canyon in Orange county. Other theories persist, along with other nicknames including “devil winds.”
  • More than 1,400 firefighters have been deployed in California to deal with the [“unprecedented” wildfires](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/07/california-windstorm-fire-risk) in and around Los Angeles, according to the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom. Tens of thousands of California residents have been placed under evacuation orders as firefighters work on three separate major wildfires – the Palisades, the Eaton and the Hurst fires – which between them cover nearly 4,500 acres of land. We would like to hear from people in the US about the impact of the wildfires. Have you been affected by the recent fires? How are you coping? We would like to hear about your experiences. **Though we’d like to hear from you, your safety and security are most important. When recording** **or sharing your content with us, please put your welfare and the welfare of others first. [Extreme weather](https://www.theguardian.com/world/extreme-weather) events can be very unpredictable and carry very real risks.** Your responses, which can be anonymous, are secure as the form is encrypted and only the Guardian has access to your contributions. We will only use the data you provide us for the purpose of the feature and we will delete any personal data when we no longer require it for this purpose. For true anonymity please use our [SecureDrop](https://www.theguardian.com/securedrop) service instead.
2025-01-09
  • On Tuesday, as a series of aggressive wildfires began ripping through Southern California, I found myself having an unlikely reaction: the desire to be there. I mean this not as a thrill seeker or fire follower but rather as someone who wanted to go home. I have lived in Los Angeles since 1991, when I moved from New York. My wife and I raised our family in Los Angeles, and in June my father entered an assisted-living facility in Pasadena, not far from what is now the Eaton fire evacuation zone. On Tuesday evening, I spoke with him by phone from Manhattan, where I have been this week. He was frightened and uncertain. This is my father’s first go-round as a California resident, and he is right to be afraid. The state has a long history of wildfires, but the [speed, size](https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adk5737) and cost of such fires have grown exponentially in recent years in large part because of climate change, with especially devastating results in the areas where undeveloped land meets homes and other structures. January is an unusual time for wildfires in California. But last year’s wet winter led to an increase in plant growth, followed by a record hot summer, [a fall and winter dry spell](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2025-01-08/los-angeles-fires-and-winter-drought-likely-linked-to-ocean-heat?sref=B3uFyqJT) likely linked to warmer oceans and now an [extreme wind event](https://yaleclimateconnections.org/2025/01/this-weeks-unholy-mix-of-drought-wind-and-fire-in-southern-california/) with gusts peaking at 80 to 100 miles per hour in some areas on Wednesday. And so dry brush and grass have combusted in Altadena and Pacific Palisades, as well as along the Pacific Coast Highway, where several Malibu landmarks, including the Reel Inn, a popular seafood restaurant, have reportedly been destroyed. Dangerous wildfires and other kinds of disasters have long been part of the vernacular in Southern California. It is impossible to live there without being aware of the vast forces, incendiary and otherwise, that continue to shape the landscape; in every way that matters, they make the place what it is. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F09%2Fopinion%2Fla-wildfires-los-angeles-palisades.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F09%2Fopinion%2Fla-wildfires-los-angeles-palisades.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F09%2Fopinion%2Fla-wildfires-los-angeles-palisades.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F09%2Fopinion%2Fla-wildfires-los-angeles-palisades.html).
  • Even in a state that has become accustomed to severe conflagrations, the rapid surge of [wildfire](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/us-wildfires) that has [torched the Los Angeles area](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/more-la-residents-flee-wildfires-amid-warning-of-stronger-winds-in-morning) has been shocking, triggering mass evacuations that have left behind charred suburban homes. A series of fires have consumed about 42 sq miles (110 sq km) of land, including one raging in the western Pacific Palisades and another in the eastern mountains above Pasadena, where [five deaths](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/more-la-residents-flee-wildfires-amid-warning-of-stronger-winds-in-morning) have been recorded. [Los Angeles fire extent map](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/laburnedareas-zip/giv-4559TS35yb1hR2R8/) Roughly 130,000 people are under evacuation orders in the US’s second-largest city. [Los Angeles fire evacuation warnings](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/laevacuations-zip/giv-4559xdUYw7Pl15CC/) [Gavin Newsom](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gavin-newsom), the governor of [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california), called the situation “unprecedented” as he ordered 1,400 firefighters to help quell the blazes. The fires [caused](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/how-long-can-i-stay-families-tell-of-last-minute-escape-from-california-wildfire) the skies to turn a dystopian orange, cut power to several hundred thousand people, triggered panicked getaways that caused cars to pile up in the roads, and incinerated scores of homes, including those of [Hollywood film stars](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/09/celebrities-lose-homes-destroyed-california-fires-billy-crystal-cary-elwes-eugene-levy) in Malibu. [A video of structures and hillsides engulfed in burning flames](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/embed/from-tool/looping-video/index.html?poster-image=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2025%2F01%2F08%2F240108CaliUGC.00_00_00_00.Still001.jpg&mp4-video=https%3A%2F%2Fuploads.guim.co.uk%2F2025%2F01%2F08%2FHousesFireLoop2.mp4) [Fire damage in Altadena](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/altadena-zip/giv-4559ZSkU2W2AcPhF/) While fire is not new to California, several factors have helped fan the flames, leading to “one of the most significant fire outbreaks in history”, according to Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in [Los Angeles](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/los-angeles), who spoke of an impending “catastrophe”. He said: “I’m pleading with everyone: if you receive that evacuation order, take it seriously. Your life depends on it.” So why have the fires been so bad? Powerful Santa Ana winds can stoke sparks ----------------------------------------- The fires have been spread at an express pace by fierce winds that have hit 80mph, even getting to 100mph in some mountainous areas. California’s cooler months often bring [what are known as Santa Ana winds](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/what-are-the-santa-ana-devil-winds-los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-fires), which are the strong, dry gusts that blow in from the US’s vast western desert interior to southern California. These winds provide dry, warm air that pushes towards the coast, the opposite of the usual moist air blowing in from the Pacific Ocean to the region. This causes humidity to drop, helping dry out fire-prone vegetation and spurring flames. The Santa Ana winds have in the past contributed to some of California’s worst fires. “This is a particularly dangerous situation – in other words, this is about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather,” the National Weather Service said before the latest [Los Angeles](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/los-angeles) blazes. [Map of California and Nevada showing estimated sustained wind speeds](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/californiawindspeeds-zip/giv-4559jv1ktfTWcVN3/) The wind also exacerbated another problem, when the water tanks supplying Pacific Palisades – where the largest of the fires broke out – [ran dry](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/los-angeles-palisade-fire-water-tanks-empty). Three 1m-gallon tanks serve the neighborhood, but urban water systems are not designed to fight wildfires, and after heavy firefighting efforts in the early hours of Wednesday morning they had been depleted. But the winds grounded all firefighting aircraft by 7pm Tuesday. Only by Wednesday afternoon were Los Angeles fire department helicopters allowed to resume dropping water on the fire from above. Dry conditions follow the wet ----------------------------- Along with the strong winds, recent conditions in southern California have added literal fuel to the fire. Two winters of heavy rainfall, particularly in 2022 and 2023, caused vegetation to sprout across the Los Angeles region, but this winter has been exceptionally dry, with much of southern California locked in drought. [Map of California showing the drought conditions](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/california-droughtmap/giv-4559ThiXPjXJzI7C) This means that there are plenty of trees, grasses and shrubs to catch fire and most of them are parched of water, meaning they combust more readily. While northern California has received plenty of rain this winter, there is a “remarkable” precipitation divide in the state, [according](https://weatherwest.com/archives/43171) to climate scientist Daniel Swain, with parts of southern California having their driest periods in more than 150 years. “It is truly a matter of the precipitation ‘haves’ and ‘have nots’ at the moment and there is no real prospect for this to change in the short term,” Swain said. “Even in the long term, it remains possible this overall dipole persists for the rest of the season, though hopefully with less extreme intensity.” [Los Angeles rainfall chart.](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/la-rainfallchart/giv-45595gJns2KB1SEG) The climate crisis is bringing the heat --------------------------------------- While the collision of high winds and dry conditions have worsened the fires scorching Los Angeles, the influence of the climate crisis is making such blazes more common and devastating. Until just two years ago, California was in the teeth of a decades-long drought that was part of a broader “mega drought” across the US that researchers estimate was the [worst in at least 1,200 years](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/feb/15/us-west-megadrought-worst-1200-years-study). Rising global temperatures, caused by the burning of fossil fuels, have caused an increase in “fire weather” days owing to the drying out of vegetation and soils and lowered humidity. ![Timelapse shows wildfires rapidly burning across California mountains – video](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/fd6a089a52a58ec66d313ee7cf858834a8e2cd2e/0_0_1920_1080/1920.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) Timelapse shows wildfires rapidly burning across California mountains – video Fires in the US west are becoming more frequent and larger, scientists [have found](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/natural-disasters/wildfires/six-trends-to-know-about-fire-season-in-the-western-us/), with the climate emergency raising the risk of fast-moving fires [by around 25% in California](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06444-3). Ten of the largest California wildfires have occurred in the last two decades, with five of these fires occurring in 2020 alone. Researchers [have calculated](https://www.drought.gov/news/study-finds-climate-change-blame-record-breaking-california-wildfires-2023-08-08) that the human-caused climate emergency has contributed to a 172% increase in California’s burned areas since the 1970s, with a further spread expected in the decades ahead.
  • [JPM\-0.02%](https://qz.com/quote/JPM)[NWSA\-0.47%](https://qz.com/quote/NWSA)[MORN+0.41%](https://qz.com/quote/MORN)[PARA\-2.30%](https://qz.com/quote/PARA)[MCO+1.75%](https://qz.com/quote/MCO) Although fires are still raging in Southern California, economists are already estimating that the January blazes could end up as the most expensive fire event in history. AccuWeather, a commercial weather forecaster, [estimated](https://www.accuweather.com/en/blogs-webinars/california-wildfires-52-57b-damage-estimate-accuweather-report/1731718#google_vignette) late on Wednesday that the wildfires could cost between $52 billion and $57 billion. JPMorgan ([JPM\-0.02%](https://qz.com/quote/JPM)) [pinned](https://www.wsj.com/us-news/los-angeles-fires-recovery-costs-billions-12201ee5) the damages at close to $50 billion, including more than $20 billion in insured losses, the Wall Street Journal ([NWSA\-0.47%](https://qz.com/quote/NWSA)) [reported](https://www.wsj.com/us-news/los-angeles-fires-recovery-costs-billions-12201ee5) Thursday. Morningstar DBRS ([MORN+0.41%](https://qz.com/quote/MORN)) has [estimated](https://dbrs.morningstar.com/research/445636) total insured losses of more than $8 billion. AccuWeather notes that the total damage and economic loss from the wildfires that ravaged Maui last year — and resulted in the [deadliest wildfire](https://qz.com/maui-wildfires-deadliest-in-us-100-years-1850734206) the U.S. has seen in more than a century — was between $13 billion and $16 billion. By insured losses, the most expensive wildfire in U.S. history was the 2018 Camp Fire, which destroyed [more than 18,000 structures](https://www.buttecounty.net/342/Camp-Fire) and cost [more than $12 billion](https://www.insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2019/release041-19.cfm). “This is already one of the worst wildfires in California history,” Jonathan Porter, AccuWeather’s head meteorologist, said in a statement. “Should a large number of additional structures be burned in the coming days, it may become the worst wildfire in modern California history based on the number of structures burned and economic loss.” More than 45 square miles have been scorched by the wildfires, and 179,000 people have been put under evacuation orders. At least five people have died, although officials [believe](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-09/even-after-a-two-day-nightmare-l-a-girds-for-more-days-of-fire-weather) the death toll is likely higher. According to [CBS News](https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/california-windstorm-fuels-pacific-palisades-wildfire-as-residents-flee-live-updates/), more than 1,300 structures have already burned, and the blazes threaten more than 60,000 structures. The cost of the wildfires is likely to add pressure to what the state’s top insurance official called California’s “[insurance crisis](https://insurance.ca.gov/0400-news/0100-press-releases/2024/release062-2024.cfm),” caused by regulations that — according to the state’s insurance department — led to “rate spikes and ballooning premiums.” As wildfires have [gotten worse](https://www.wri.org/insights/global-trends-forest-fires) around the world, insurers have been more wary about exposure. “These events will continue to have widespread, negative impacts for the state’s broader insurance market—increased recovery costs will likely drive up premiums and may reduce property insurance availability,” Moody’s Rating analyst Denise Rappmund said in a statement. In 2023, State Farm said it would stop [offering home insurance](https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfire-insurance-e31bef0ed7eeddcde096a5b8f2c1768f) to new customers in California, as did Allstate ([ALL+3.10%](https://qz.com/quote/ALL)), partially citing the increased risk of wildfires. Last March, State Farm said it would stop renewing coverage for about 30,000 clients, [citing](https://newsroom.statefarm.com/update-on-california/) financial hits caused by inflation and “catastrophe exposure.” E&E News [reported](https://www.eenews.net/articles/californias-insurer-of-last-resort-is-a-ticking-time-bomb/) last year that seven of California’s 12 largest property insurers had limited coverage. Meanwhile, the use of California Fair Access to Insurance Requirements Plan, a state insurance program that provides basic coverage, has exploded. The total number of new dwelling and commercial policies grew by [137%](https://www.cfpnet.com/key-statistics-data/#:~:text=Over%20the%20past%20two%20fiscal,prior%20fiscal%20year%2Dend).) between September 2023 and September 2024. Total exposure over that time grew 61% to $458 billion. “It’s a ticking time bomb,” Michael D’Arelli, executive director of the American Agents Alliance, an insurance agents’ association, said at a March hearing. “We are going to have a major event and meltdown.”
  • When a devastating wildfire hit California in November 2018, a powerful CEO went on Twitter to [ask how his company could help](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1061123924354875393). That CEO’s name was Elon Musk. What a difference six years can make. The contrast between Musk’s 2018 tweet and his response to [the infernos currently raging through Southern California](https://www.fastcompany.com/91257212/la-wildfires-rage-evacuations-homes-destroyed) is stark. This time, he has mostly used his platform throughout the disaster to attack some familiar targets—[Democratic politicians](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1877005434621415607), [deregulation](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1876997822349807696), and, incredibly, [DEI](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1877224004680843539). The pronounced change in Musk’s online behavior during a crisis reflects a broader evolution, though. Once considered an environmental crusader for making electric cars seem cool, the Tesla CEO now [mocks the very idea](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1877118231581716810) that climate change could play a major role in historical California wildfires arriving in the middle of winter. The scope of the fires’ damage is, so far, enormous. [As the _New York Times_](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/09/us/california-fires-los-angeles) reports, the Palisades and Eaton fires are already the two most destructive ever to hit Los Angeles. The blazes have [killed at least five people](https://www.nytimes.com/live/2025/01/09/us/california-fires-los-angeles) as of this writing, and forced tens of thousands to evacuate, while burning up more than 27,000 acres and 2,000 structures. According to [scientists](https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/wildfires/what-fueled-la-fires-dry-conditions-wind-rcna186801), climate change is playing a role by “altering rainfall patterns and making droughts both more likely and more intense.” What reportedly created the conditions for the fires’ rapid spread is Southern California’s unusual dryness during 2024, with [only .29 inches of rain since last May](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/southern-california-wildfires-what-are-santa-ana-winds), along with hurricane-force Santa Ana winds that [reached speeds of more than 75 mph](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/southern-california-wildfires-what-are-santa-ana-winds). Extreme dryness makes fires more likely to spark, and robust winds help them spread easier. Complicating matters, the howling winds on Tuesday forced the Los Angeles Fire Department to [ground the aircraft](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-07/pacific-palisades-fire-winds-overnight) they typically use for aerial firefighting. All of these factors help explain how a flurry of wildfires could rage out of control during [what is typically California’s rainy season](https://abc7.com/post/whats-store-californias-new-water-year-experts-say-prepare-extreme-weather-swings/15362067/#:~:text=Typically%2C%20fall%20rain%20starts%20in,when%20we%20see%20peak%20snowpack.). Musk, however, had some alternate theories about what caused so much destruction. He went on a retweeting blitz, cosigning wild accusations about various Democrats and conspiracy theories about California’s water reserves. Particularly alarming was [Musk’s focus on DEI](https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1877025171241918702), suggesting that the L.A. fire department’s “racial equity plan” contributed to the devastation. Firefighters working hard to put out powerful blazes were faced with racial hostility flowing in their direction from some of Musk’s 211.7 million followers on X. Expand to continue reading ↓
  • 1. The [blazes](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/09/los-angeles-wildfires-spread-hills-hollywood-boulevard) are considered one of the worst wildfire events ever witnessed in southern California, the [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) department of forestry and fire protection (Cal Fire) said, and the Palisades fire itself is the most destructive in Los Angeles city history, according to the Associated Press. Several people have been confirmed killed. The death toll is expected to rise as responders comb through scarred areas. The fires have forced at least 180,000 people under evacuation orders, while burning down at least 9,000 homes and buildings. Preliminary damage and economic loss has been estimated at above $50bn, but the fires are still raging and more could erupt any time. 2. The **Palisades**, the first and so far largest, fire is raging in the west of LA, in the prosperous and picturesque neighborhood nestled between the Santa Monica mountains and the Pacific Ocean. The fires are depicted [on a map](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/09/los-angeles-wildfires-spread-hills-hollywood-boulevard) in this piece. The **Eaton** fire, where five deaths have occurred, is burning in the Pasadena and Altadena areas, to the north-east of LA. The **Lidia** fire is further north near the small residential community of Acton, in the beautiful Antelope Valley close to two mountain ranges. The **Hurst** fire is burning in the northern-most suburb of the city of LA, Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley, in a historic area known for its olive groves. The **Sunset** fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills late on Wednesday, the closest to central Los Angeles, but firefighters have had more success there and have kept it under 1 square mile. The evacuation area was bordered by famous place names such as Hollywood Boulevard and Mulholland Drive. A sixth fire, the **Woodley** fire, started in the Van Nuys neighborhood in LA on Wednesday, located between the Sunset fire and the Hurst fire. It was small and quickly contained. A brush fire, the **Kennith fire**, broke out in the Woodland Hills area on Thursday afternoon. 3. The fires are [extraordinarily fierce and fast](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/fire-map-la-palisades-explainerhttps://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/fire-map-la-palisades-explainer), fanned by a windstorm that brought offshore winds gusting up to 100mph (161 km/h). Meanwhile, southern California hasn’t seen rain in months, leaving a landscape primed to burn. Karen Bass, the Los Angeles mayor, said: “Hurricane-force winds are normally accompanied by rain but these are hurricane-force winds combined with extremely dry drought conditions.” California’s cooler months often bring the strong [Santa Ana winds](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/what-are-the-santa-ana-devil-winds-los-angeles-wildfires-southern-california-fires) blowing in from the western desert interior. The fierce winds not only whip flames but dry out the landscape, creating quintessential seasonal fire weather. The climate crisis is intensifying these wind events. In general, the [climate crisis is making](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/09/los-angeles-wildfires-climate-disasters) major wildfires more common and more devastating. Scientists [estimate](https://science.nasa.gov/earth/natural-disasters/wildfires/six-trends-to-know-about-fire-season-in-the-western-us/) that the [climate emergency](https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jan/09/los-angeles-wildfires-climate-disasters), especially record drought and rising temperatures, raises the risk of fast-moving fires [by around 25% in California](https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-06444-3). 4. As firefighters battled the flames early Wednesday morning, the water tanks supplying the Pacific Palisades neighborhood ran dry. The authorities said they pushed the water supply “to the extreme … four times the normal demand was seen for 15 hours straight”. All 114 water tanks serving the city of Los Angeles were full before the Palisades fire erupted but ran out faster than they could be refilled. Winds were too high to send up aircraft to douse blazes for the first 24 hours. Meanwhile, local fire crews were [running out of personnel](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/more-la-residents-flee-wildfires-amid-warning-of-stronger-winds-in-morning) and there were pleas for reinforcements. Among those deployed are [almost 400](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/la-wildfires-incarcerated-firefighters) incarcerated people trained to join crews on the frontlines during disasters. Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah and Washington state are sending teams to help. 5. Many tens of thousands of ordinary people from all walks of life have had to flee their homes this week. Many have lost everything and some have lost loved ones, while the toll on pets and wild animals is far from being calculated. Hollywood – the industry, not just the famous LA neighborhood – is reeling. Thousands of workers are waiting to see how the disaster will affect production. Filming, premieres and awards ceremonies are on hold. Household names such as Billy Crystal, Anthony Hopkins, John Goodman, Jeff Bridges, Adrien Brody and others have had homes burn down.
2025-01-11
  • The wildfires that erupted this week across Los Angeles County are far from contained, but they're already expected to be the costliest in U.S. history and among the worst natural disasters LOS ANGELES -- The wildfires that erupted this week across Los Angeles County are still raging, but already are projected to be among the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. The devastating blazes have killed at least 11 people and incinerated [more than 12,000 structures](https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-wildfire-structure-damage-3f319dfaa36e583c06c8d49bd835084e) since Tuesday, laying waste to entire neighborhoods once home to multimillion-dollar properties. While it's still too early for an accurate tally of the financial toll, the losses so far likely make the wildfires the costliest ever in the U.S., according to various estimates. A preliminary estimate by AccuWeather put the damage and economic losses so far between $135 billion and $150 billion. By comparison, AccuWeather estimated the damage and economic losses caused by Hurricane Helene, which tore across six southeastern states last fall, at $225 billion to $250 billion. “This will be the costliest wildfire in California modern history and also very likely the costliest wildfire in U.S. modern history, because of the fires occurring in the densely populated areas around Los Angeles with some of the highest-valued real estate in the country,” said Jonathan Porter, the private firm’s chief meteorologist. AccuWeather factors in a multitude of variables in its estimates, including damage to homes, businesses, infrastructure and vehicles, as well as immediate and long-term health care costs, lost wages and supply chain interruptions. The insurance broker Aon PLC also said Friday that the L.A. County wildfires will likely end up being the costliest in U.S. history, although it did not issue an estimate. Aon ranks a wildfire known as the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, in 2018 as the costliest in U.S. history up to now at $12.5 billion, adjusted for inflation. The Camp Fire killed 85 people and destroyed about 11,000 homes. The L.A. County wildfires, which [were fueled by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds and an extreme drought](https://apnews.com/article/fire-devastation-climate-change-santa-ana-winds-a46e2bb6785b1e325f6076fb22c8fcc5), [remained largely uncontained Saturday](https://apnews.com/article/southern-california-wildfires-la-022c6588ac472f227b522ffd6552a642). That means the final tally of losses from the blazes is likely to increase, perhaps substantially. “To put this into perspective, the total damage and economic loss from this wildfire disaster could reach nearly 4% of the annual GDP of the state of California,” AccuWeather's Porter said. In a report Friday, Moody's also concluded that the wildfires would prove to be the costliest in U.S. history, specifically because they have ripped through densely populated areas with higher-end properties. While the state is no stranger to major wildfires, they have generally been concentrated in inland areas that are not densely populated. That's led to less destruction per acre, and in damage to less expensive homes, Moody's noted. That's far from the case this time, with one of the largest conflagrations destroying thousands of properties across the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, home to many Hollywood stars and executives with multimillion-dollar properties. [Already, numerous celebrities have lost homes to the fires.](https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-fires-celebrities-homes-lost-6cdc06b85b737c79739318a853e64642) “The scale and intensity of the blazes, combined with their geographic footprint, suggest a staggering price tag, both in terms of the human cost and the economic toll,” Moody's analysts wrote. The report did not include a preliminary cost estimate of the wildfire damage. It could be several months before a concrete tally of the financial losses from the wildfires will be possible. “We’re in the very early stages of this disaster,” Porter said.
2025-01-13
  • Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready to assist those affected by the devastating wildfires in [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california), with 150 Ukrainian firefighters ready to go. The offer by the Ukrainian president comes three days after Donald Trump Jr, son of US president-elect Donald Trump, responded to the [Los Angeles](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/los-angeles) wildfires by appearing to [blame Ukraine on social media.](https://x.com/DonaldJTrumpJr/status/1877039101813149928) “Oh look of course the LA fire department donated a bunch of their supplies to Ukraine,” Trump Jr said in a post on X on 8 January. If deployed, Ukrainian firefighters would join those sent by Canada and Mexico, who have already converged on the Los Angeles area to help fire departments from around the state, even as Trump has threatened to levy tariffs against both countries. On Sunday, Zelenskyy said in a post on X: “Today, I instructed Ukraine’s minister of internal affairs and our diplomats to prepare for the possible participation of our rescuers in combating the wildfires in California. !['This is what friends do' says California governor, as Mexican firefighters land in LA – video](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e0931cccb0624c6ebcd9a2672bcfd005df14b273/0_70_1350_759/1350.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none) 'This is what friends do' says California governor, as Mexican firefighters land in LA – video “The situation there is extremely difficult, and Ukrainians can help Americans save lives. This is currently being coordinated, and we have offered our assistance to the American side through the relevant channels. 150 of our firefighters are already prepared.” Firefighters managed to make progress on several smaller fires in southern California over the weekend, but two big blazes, the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, are yet to be contained after burning for six days straight. The wildfires have reduced entire Los Angeles neighbourhoods to ash, killing at least 16 people, and forcing more than 150,000 to evacuate. The governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said the fires could be the most devastating natural disaster in US history. Strengthening winds threaten to expand the swath of destruction through Los Angeles in the coming days. On Saturday morning, Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum wrote on X: “The humanitarian aid group is leaving for Los Angeles, California,” alongside photos of firefighters holding the flags of Mexico and California and standing on the runway in front of two planes. “We are a country of generosity and solidarity,” she added. ![A team of firefighters sent by Mexico to California to help teams battling the raging wildfires arrive in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday.](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/d2ef2b5915b754b75a4d72eb3f60309563e51e82/0_88_1350_810/master/1350.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)[](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/13/zelenskyy-offers-ukraines-help-to-fight-california-wildfires-after-trump-jr-post#img-2) A team of firefighters sent by Mexico to California to help teams battling the raging wildfires arrive in Los Angeles, California, on Saturday. Photograph: Office of Governor Gavin Newsom/Reuters Newsom thanked Mexico in a message on X posted on Friday after the deployment was announced. “California is deeply grateful for President Sheinbaum’s support as we work to suppress the Los Angeles wildfires,” he wrote. Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes nearly 1,400 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including those from Mexico. Hundreds of inmates from California’s prison system [were also helping firefighting efforts](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/08/la-wildfires-incarcerated-firefighters). Nearly 950 incarcerated firefighters were dispatched “to cut fire lines and remove fuel to slow fire spread,” according to an update from the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Though the state has long relied on prison labor to fight fires, the practice is controversial as the inmates are paid little for dangerous and difficult work. _With Reuters_
2025-01-14
  • Five wildfires in Los Angeles have already [burned more than 10,000 structures](https://www.yahoo.com/news/devastating-la-fires-expected-push-225639898.html), threatening to upend California's fragile balance between [climate risk and home insurance](https://news.slashdot.org/story/23/05/31/2346230/climate-crisis-makes-it-impossible-for-some-us-residents-to-get-home-insurance). The Palisades Fire has damaged or destroyed more than 5,000 buildings in an area that liability experts had previously identified as one of three particularly vulnerable regions in the state. JPMorgan Chase estimates insured damages [could reach $20 billion](https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2025-los-angeles-wildfires-insurance/), positioning this as likely the costliest wildfire in U.S. history. The crisis comes as California's insurance market struggles, with seven of the 12 biggest home insurers having limited their coverage in the state over the past two years. The state-backed insurer of last resort, the California FAIR Plan, now faces exposure of up to $458 billion, while holding only $200 million in surplus cash reserves and $2.5 billion in reinsurance. Gusts of up to 100 miles per hour have fanned the flames, with more than 57,000 structures in severe danger and more than 150,000 people under evacuation.
2025-01-16
  • Lady Gaga and Billie Eilish are reported to be headlining this month’s benefit concert to raise money for those affected by the [California wildfires](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california-wildfires). According to the [Hollywood Reporter](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/music-news/billie-eilish-lady-gaga-jelly-roll-perform-fireaid-benefit-concert-la-wildfire-1236110950/), the lineup for the FireAid benefit concert also includes Jelly Roll, Lil Baby, Tate McRae and Gwen Stefani. Acts also listed yet not officially confirmed by [TMZ](https://www.tmz.com/2025/01/16/los-angeles-wildfire-fireaid-concert-features-lady-gaga-billie-eilish-and-red-hot-chili-peppers/) include the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and Gracie Abrams with more names to be added. It’s scheduled to take place on 30 January. The wildfires, which started earlier this month, have taken a devastating toll on California with [a death toll of 25](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/15/california-wildfires-warnings-los-angeles) and a further 38 missing. More than 12,000 structures have been either destroyed or damaged. FireAid was announced last week with partners Live Nation, AEG and the Azoff Company. The concert will take place at the Intuit Dome, the home venue of the Los Angeles Clippers. Proceeds will “focus on rebuilding infrastructure, supporting displaced families and advancing fire prevention technologies and strategies”. The Eagles have already [donated](https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/eagles-donate-2-5-million-191138310.html) $2.5m towards the event. It is unclear yet if they will also be performing. Back in 2018, Lady Gaga worked with the Red Cross to [deliver pizzas](https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Culture/lady-gaga-delivered-pizza-coffee-california-wildfire-evacuees/story?id=59187551) to those affected by wildfires after she was also [forced to evacuate](https://people.com/music/lady-gaga-documents-fire-evacuation-malibu/) her Malibu home. Stefani also [started](https://people.com/celebrity/gwen-stefani-helping-wildfire-victims/) a college-scholarship fund for students affected by wildfires back in 2007. Eilish has already spoken about this year’s wildfires, urging her followers to help support a number of non-profits. “While our family is safe, many of the people and communities we love have endured devastating loss,” she wrote on Instagram. “Altadena in particular is very close to our hearts ... it was the backyard of our childhoods, and the families, businesses, nonprofits, and musicians there remain cornerstones in our lives.” Celebrities who have donated major sums toward relief efforts include Leonardo DiCaprio and Jamie Lee Curtis. “This is literally where I live – everything, the market I shop in, the schools my kids go to,” she said. “Friends, many, many, many, many, many friends, now have lost their homes.”
  • Beth Pratt has spent her career protecting Los Angeles’ mountain lions, which roam an area currently engulfed by wildfires. These apex predators, also known as cougars or pumas, share a scrubby landscape with lavish private homes and a dense network of roads. When major fires take out huge areas of open space, their options are limited. “This is the LA area – these mountain lions can’t move into the Kardashians’ back yard,” says Pratt, [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) executive director for the National Wildlife Federation. “My heart is very heavy right now,” she says. The chaparral vegetation, which covers [about 10%](https://www.geographyrealm.com/chaparral-california/) of the state of California, creates one of the most flammable landscapes in the world. It is characterised by grasslands, shrubs and short woody species designed to come back to life after the planet’s most intense wildfires. ![A hillside is on fire behind a sign that reads ‘Warning, mountain lions have been seen in this area’](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/abb77e6e947bbb99583f7ed1013f51d27d266824/0_270_2336_2336/master/2336.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)[](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/16/fleeing-mountain-lions-scorched-earth-can-wildlife-survive-california-wildfires-aoe#img-2) Areas that once provided mountain lions with food and shelter have been reduced to ashes. Photograph: Kpa/Zuma/Shutterstock In LA, wealthy suburbs sprawl into these habitats, and roads and development block the animals’ ability to flee elsewhere. If they haven’t already died in the flames or from smoke inhalation, they may starve over the coming days and weeks, as the land is transformed from a vibrant ecosystem into scorched earth. “Areas that did provide food, shelter, habitat, are being taken out of commission,” says Pratt. The impact of the wildfires will “reverberate throughout all life”, she says. Human losses have been devastating, with [88,000 people](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/14/la-fire-edison-lawsuit-looting-arrests#:~:text=More%20than%2012%2C000%20structures%20had,costliest%20fire%20in%20American%20history.&text=At%20least%20two%20dozen%20people,six%20around%20the%20Pacific%20Palisades.) told to evacuate their homes as the death toll [rises to 25](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2025/jan/14/la-california-fires-los-angeles-live-wildfire-map-warning-evacuation-latest-news?page=with:block-678700e18f08cb23ad2f023e), and the effects will also ripple through the non-human world. Worst affected are endangered species with a limited range, and species that can’t flee the flames. Biologists are particularly concerned about threatened red-legged frogs, which were reintroduced into some streams in the Santa Monica mountains in 2014. The [Woolsey fire in 2018](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/dec/04/california-wildfires-paradise-malibu-wealth-class) was followed by mudslides which wiped out much of the habitat, and scientists are waiting to see what the damage will be this time. The habitat of California newts has also been severely affected during these latest fires. ![A woman and a mountain lion cub](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/5957862f6e8913dec849f7849d1ad02ffbd86041/0_0_958_959/master/958.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)[](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/16/fleeing-mountain-lions-scorched-earth-can-wildlife-survive-california-wildfires-aoe#img-3) Beth Pratt, of the National Wildlife Federation, is dedicated to protecting mountain lions. Photograph: Beth Pratt Reptiles and snakes are likely to be killed. Mammals might escape, but could struggle to set up elsewhere or find food while the ecosystem recovers. Birds are likely to survive, unless they are nesting or looking after young. Although the landscape looks devastated, within the coming weeks nature should start to re-emerge as fresh shoots start appearing from the soil and wildlife returns. “It looks like Armageddon now,” says Prof Stefan Doerr from Swansea University, who is co-editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Wildland Fire. However, new life is waiting in the wings. Even in raging fires, life an inch under the surface of the soil can stay relatively cool, so seeds can often survive and later germinate. “The chaparral ecosystem in California is actually a fire-adapted ecosystem, thus burning maintains its biodiversity,” says Doerr. He says the shrub vegetation will probably take about 10 years to recover, depending on rainfall in the coming years. Grasses could start to sprout within weeks of the first rain. Fire [records suggest](https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.70128#:~:text=Native%20chaparral%20species%20that%20experience,elimination%20of%20native%20shrub%20regeneration.) the landscape is adapted to high-intensity burning every 30 to 100 years. “This is one of the most flammable ecosystems on the planet. This may sound very strange, but from a longer-term ecological perspective, as such, these fires may not be particularly damaging,” Doerr says. ![The light of a firefighting helicopter illuminates a smouldering hillside](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/c454aa6d9fa084c690f7fe5aa5366e2babd9e239/0_0_5649_3766/master/5649.jpg?width=465&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)[](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/16/fleeing-mountain-lions-scorched-earth-can-wildlife-survive-california-wildfires-aoe#img-4) The Palisades fire has burned about 23,000 acres of land. Photograph: Patrick T Fallon/AFP/Getty Images He says that at specific locations the fire may seem extremely damaging to the ecosystem in the short term, but at a large scale, highly destructive fires can “rejuvenate this ecosystem”. Prof Rory Hadden, chair of fire science at the University of Edinburgh, agrees. “The nature part of the story often gets lost in this. Everyone sees these as bad things, but actually, wildfires are necessary in some parts of the world to have healthy, vibrant and diverse ecosystems.” Because these fires have been so intense, the area is unlikely to burn in such a way for 20 years or more – all the fuel has been used up, Hadden says. “They are kind of a reset on the ecosystem.” Research shows, however, that California’s ecosystems are [increasingly threatened](https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/bes2.1460) by human population growth, expanding urban areas, warming temperatures and droughts lasting multiple years. ![A man in a hard hat crouches on scorched earth. ](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/ae056ab713609557a255b923c63160c4ff5e1944/0_0_1105_1337/master/1105.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)[](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/16/fleeing-mountain-lions-scorched-earth-can-wildlife-survive-california-wildfires-aoe#img-5) Stefan Doerr says the fires maintain biodiversity. Photograph: Stefan Doerr In recent times, low-severity fires have been happening [more frequently](https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ecs2.70128#) in many California shrub ecosystems, mainly due to human ignitions and severe weather conditions. Some locations have burned up to six times in the past 30 years. “This has actually degraded this ecosystem in something that is untypical,” says Doerr. From a purely ecological perspective, he says, “some people would say that, actually, what we’ve been lacking is a high-severity fire”. Conditions are particularly extreme this time, and this is likely to have been exacerbated by “climate swings”, says Hadden. Fires grew quickly and there was a lot of vegetation to burn because last year was a wet year, which then dried out during the drought. [Officials flagged](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/13/palisades-california-wildfires-fireworks) that the Santa Ana winds were particularly dangerous because there had been no rainfall for months, with high levels of plant material creating a “recipe for fire”. By Monday, the Palisades fire had burned about [23,000 acres](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/13/palisades-california-wildfires-fireworks) (9,000 hectares), the Eaton fire 14,000 acres, and the Hurst fire 800 acres. The August complex fire in 2020 was [more than 25 times](https://34c031f8-c9fd-4018-8c5a-4159cdff6b0d-cdn-endpoint.azureedge.net/-/media/calfire-website/our-impact/fire-statistics/top-20-largest-ca-wildfires.pdf?rev=097f901c128347149e2614f2fca4f546&hash=27DDE83DFEF9A69E67C73765892A2B75) bigger. [ 10 ways the climate crisis and nature loss are linked ](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/29/10-ways-in-which-climate-crisis-and-nature-are-linked-aoe) In the coming weeks, ash from the wildfire should provide protection to the soil and nutrients for plants to regrow. But Imma Oliveras Menor, a researcher in disturbance ecology at the University of Oxford, says that although these ecosystems have strategies to survive after intense wildfires, the severity of this one could inhibit this process. “The main danger is that the intensity of the fires has killed the below-ground organs of the plants and thus killed them. Another plausible scenario is that the intensity of the fires has caused severe damage to the soil structure,” she says. If landscapes are highly denuded by fire and then there is heavy rainfall or high winds, this can lead to soil erosion, landslides and water contamination. It is impossible to assess the damage while the fires are still raging, she says. When the embers have finished burning, Pratt will be keeping an eye on what wildlife returns to the area, and whether mountain lions will have been able to hold on elsewhere. “The habitat will come back, of course, but it may come back differently,” she says. ![A mountain lion paw print in the dirt](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/77a87df54133478cb4314e530b6cb0c4a3121173/0_0_4752_3168/master/4752.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)[](https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/16/fleeing-mountain-lions-scorched-earth-can-wildlife-survive-california-wildfires-aoe#img-6) A mountain lion footprint in South Hills Park, a wilderness area in Glendora, California. Photograph: Edward Chaidez/Getty Images
2025-01-17
  • It is often said that climate disasters are great equalizers. They rip through neighborhoods, rich and poor, devastating communities and upending lives without discriminating between them. But it is, of course, not that simple. As the wildfires blaze through Southern California, class divides are as evident as ever. It is true that even [the rich and famous could not spare their homes](https://www.businessinsider.com/la-wildfire-pacific-palisades-malibu-celebrities-neighborhood-a-listers-2025-1) from burning to the ground. But it is also true that while most residents have to wait for public assistance, the wealthy have more resources to come to their rescue. Private firefighters, for example, have been in high demand​​ — in some cases, even [protecting individual mansions to prevent the fires](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/12/us/private-firefighters-la-wildfires.html) from touching them. One real estate investor pleaded for help on social media, asking if anyone has access to private firefighters that could save his home. “Will pay any amount,” [he wrote on X](https://www.yahoo.com/news/wealthy-l-investor-blasted-seeking-013726840.html). No matter how much money you have, natural disasters can still be unforgiving, and losing a home is always a tragedy. But once the fires finally go out, [inequality will almost certainly rise](https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfire-pacific-palisades-pasadena-altadena-inequality-63ea76d186740359f7f5dd188896354f) because of the class divides that are already entrenched in Los Angeles. Rich people will be able to rebuild their homes and neighborhoods, while middle- and low-income families might be permanently displaced. [Studies](https://aag.secure-platform.com/aag2024/gallery/rounds/74/details/52775) of [past California wildfires](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S016920462300316X) have shown that they drove gentrification — something that [Hawaii residents have been dealing with](https://apnews.com/article/maui-hawaii-fire-climate-gentrification-housing-displacement-aa827eabef48d2764aa58d01f7a6969c) since deadly wildfires ravaged through residential areas on Maui. Already, [there have been reports](https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/los-angeles-palisades-fire-housing-rent-price-gouging-law-california-zillow-listing) of landlords [hiking rents in and around Los Angeles](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/10/business/california-fires-rent-price-gouging.html), despite the fact that dramatically increasing rents during a state of emergency is illegal in California. The ongoing wildfires have already destroyed [more than 12,000 structures](https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/clyxypryrnko), including homes, schools, and [houses of worship](https://www.npr.org/2025/01/12/nx-s1-5254071/southern-california-wildfires-destroy-or-damage-many-houses-of-worship). The question for some of these communities — especially those in middle- and low-income areas — is whether they’ll ever come back, or whether the post-disaster gentrification will render them unrecognizable. When a natural disaster strikes a community, housing prices almost always rise. In the short term, the reason is obvious: Apartments and houses have been damaged or destroyed, so there are fewer of them, and that decline in supply causes rents to spike. But as rebuilding efforts drag on, many middle- and low-income people never return to their neighborhoods because they can’t afford to. “One of the reasons gentrification happens is that everything just becomes more expensive,” said Jennifer Gray Thompson, founder and CEO of [After the Fire](https://afterthefireusa.org/about-us/), a nonprofit that helps communities prepare for and recover from wildfires. One reason is the high cost of building, but there are others, including landlords taking advantage of high demand to raise rents and real-estate investors buying up properties to convert to short-term rentals. Rebuilding can be a slow and arduous process. In late 2018, a wildfire effectively leveled the town of Paradise, California, [burning through 95 percent of its buildings](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paradise-lost-inside-california-camp-fire-60-minutes/). Five years after the fire, [only about a third](https://www.npr.org/2023/11/08/1209471739/a-california-town-wiped-off-the-map-by-wildfire-is-still-recovering-five-years-o) of the town’s pre-fire population of 27,000 had returned, and the [median home price skyrocketed](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/05/california-camp-fire-rebuilding-paradise-housing) from $236,000 to $440,000. As a result, many victims of the fire have been permanently priced out, and [the town has started to draw people](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/nov/05/california-camp-fire-rebuilding-paradise-housing) in from wealthier regions like the Bay Area. “In Paradise … they are a little over six years post-disaster — they are about 30 percent rebuilt — and their population has changed dramatically because a lot of their population was elderly and not well resourced at all,” Thompson said. “You’re almost always going to have a massive change of demographics.” Nicole Lambrou, a professor of urban and regional planning at California State Polytechnic University Pomona, has found similar patterns. Lambrou has [studied wildfires and the displacement that happens in their wake](https://aag.secure-platform.com/aag2024/gallery/rounds/74/details/52775), and while she notes that there’s no single, concrete measure of gentrification, she and her colleagues found many signs of deepening inequality after the disasters. “We looked at American Community Survey data \[in communities affected by wildfires\], and we have found that disabilities decreased, education rates increased, renter occupied housing decreased, and median age also decreased because there is a vulnerability in wildfires that’s associated with age,” Lambrou said — all markers of gentrification, with more vulnerable populations leaving impacted areas for good. “Disaster” or “climate gentrification” — that is, a neighborhood drawing in wealthier newcomers while pricing out longtime residents after a natural disaster like a wildfire or hurricane — is not exactly new. Many communities destroyed by various storms have [struggled to bring back their lower-income residents](https://www.route-fifty.com/management/2023/10/disaster-gentrification-looms-over-lahaina/390865/). And while it generally has the same contours as non-disaster-related gentrification, it tends to accelerate the process because natural disasters immediately displace a sizable population and open up a lot of land for [speculators to cash in on](https://time.com/6306090/lahaina-wildfires-history-exploitation/). That’s why in Lahaina, Hawaii, where wildfires killed over 100 people and destroyed more than 2,000 buildings in 2023, residents have been trying to [raise money for a community land trust](https://www.npr.org/2024/03/14/1237541048/lahaina-maui-community-land-trust-climate-change) — buying up plots of land before speculators do, and renting or selling homes at more affordable rates. One striking trend that contributes to making post-disaster communities less affordable is that people looking to buy a second home swoop in. When Lambrou and her colleagues were doing their fieldwork in Paradise to study the impacts of the fire, housing agents told them that they noticed a trend of Bay Area residents, who only live a couple of hours away, buying second homes. “We did in fact find that that’s the case if you look at the data,” Lambrou said. “Secondary home ownership goes up substantially in these areas.” While wildfires undoubtedly displace many people, it doesn’t mean that all communities follow the same pattern of gentrification in the ashes. For starters, Paradise was almost entirely burned down, while current fires are devastating a much smaller portion of the greater Los Angeles area by comparison. The LA metropolitan area might also fare better than places like Paradise in part because the city’s strong, diverse economy means that people who lose their jobs to the fire can more easily find employment and are more likely to stick around. “If you have a place like Santa Rosa, which is part of a larger metropolitan region or even a place like Ventura, which is so close to the greater LA area, you can find alternative employment, you can find alternatives for your children,” Lambrou said, adding that those areas tended to have quicker recoveries after previous wildfires and keep a larger portion of the pre-fire population. “Conversely, in Paradise, they lost a lot of their schools, their major employer was the Adventist hospital, which burned down and [they decided to not rebuild](https://krcrtv.com/news/local/no-new-hospital-coming-to-paradise-officials-say), and so they lost a lot.” Still, recovery efforts can be designed to minimize the potential for disaster-related gentrification, and the state has already taken some steps to do just that. California Gov. Gavin Newsom, for example, issued an executive order that cuts red tape by [suspending environmental reviews](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/12/us/newsom-ceqa-california-fires.html), which will help communities affected by the fires to rebuild at a faster pace. The executive order also ensures that [homeowners won’t see their property taxes soar](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-12/newsom-suspends-landmark-environmental-regulations-palisades-altadena-fires) after they rebuild their homes by [maintaining their pre-fire tax assessments](https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article298414598.html). The state also needs to make sure that it administers funds in an equitable manner. In the past, research has shown that wealthier and whiter communities [are more likely to receive](https://www.nytimes.com/2020/12/16/climate/wildfires-minorities-aid.html) government support after a fire. But ultimately, California was already home to some of the most expensive real estate in the world. The state has [not been able to keep up with its housing production goals](https://calmatters.org/housing/2022/10/newsom-california-housing-crisis/), and the ongoing housing shortage — which is [only exacerbated by the fires](https://www.vox.com/climate/363880/park-fire-california-evacuations-housing-crisis) — has been the main driver of gentrification. Doubling down on building more housing and increasing population density is key to bringing home prices down in the long run. Victims of the wildfires, however, aren’t going to be able to wait that long to see housing prices come down. So what the state does next, and how it directs its resources, will be critical in allowing communities to rebuild. After all, the reason natural disasters aren’t great equalizers comes down to how a government responds. You’ve read 1 article in the last month Here at Vox, we're unwavering in our commitment to covering the issues that matter most to you — threats to democracy, immigration, reproductive rights, the environment, and the rising polarization across this country. Our mission is to provide clear, accessible journalism that empowers you to stay informed and engaged in shaping our world. By becoming a Vox Member, you directly strengthen our ability to deliver in-depth, independent reporting that drives meaningful change. We rely on readers like you — join us. ![Swati Sharma](https://www.vox.com/_next/image?url=%2Fstatic-assets%2Fheadshots%2Fswati.png&w=128&q=75) Swati Sharma Vox Editor-in-Chief See More:
2025-01-18
  • ![Caution tape is seen in front of the scorched Bunny Museum after the Eaton fire on January 11, 2025 in Altadena, Los Angeles, California. ](https://i.kinja-img.com/image/upload/c_fit,q_60,w_645/e6300c88e9ad0e89aef7d8d64cdbf447.jpg) The Los Angeles wildfires that swept across southern California last week destroyed more than 30 historically significant structures, including museums, houses, and religious sites, according to the Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit devoted to historic preservation. [Read More](https://qz.com/los-angeles-wildfires-destroy-historic-structures-1851740638)
2025-01-19
  • They had built their house on a rugged peak in the Santa Monica Mountains to maximize the views, and now Phillip and Claire Vogt went to their bedroom window and saw fires burning in the nearby canyons and black smoke rolling across the Pacific Ocean. The olive trees in their yard bent sideways in the wind. Helicopters flew over the ridgeline carrying loads of water. They could see one wildfire moving in from the north, barreling toward their children’s elementary school. Another encroached from the east, burning through an acre every few minutes. “We’re in the middle of a disaster,” Claire said, last week. The fires had already killed at least two dozen people and destroyed thousands of homes, and forecasters expected another few days of dry weather and high winds. “We prepared for this,” Phillip said. “We have a plan. Now we just stay calm and start getting everything ready.” They had spent the last decade constructing one of the most fire-resistant homes in the country — a beautiful, Spanish-style estate that was also a fortress meant to withstand even the worst of California’s worsening natural disasters. Phillip and Claire had both grown up nearby amid the region’s annual wildfires, and Phillip, an architect, understood the precariousness of building a home in Malibu, on nature’s wild edge. Their house had heat-resistant windows, a fireproof clay roof, walls made of concrete instead of wood, and vents stuffed with steel wool to keep embers from flying into the house. The property ran entirely on off-the-grid power in case of an outage, and it was surrounded by about half a dozen private fire hydrants, high-power water pumps and tanks that stored more than 50,000 gallons of water. High-power water pumps and tanks store more than 50,000 gallons of water. Phillip Vogt adjusting a hose to use if fires come near his home. The house had already survived one historic California wildfire in 2018, the Woolsey fire, which destroyed more than a thousand other nearby homes. Now more catastrophic fires were underway, and Phillip and Claire didn’t trust the local government’s ability to respond. They believed their house could withstand any worst-case scenario, but lately they had also begun to wonder about the toll that exacted on them. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and [log into](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F19%2Fus%2Fmalibu-home-california-wildfires.html&asset=opttrunc) your Times account, or [subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F19%2Fus%2Fmalibu-home-california-wildfires.html) for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F19%2Fus%2Fmalibu-home-california-wildfires.html&asset=opttrunc). Want all of The Times? [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscription?campaignId=89WYR&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2F2025%2F01%2F19%2Fus%2Fmalibu-home-california-wildfires.html).
2025-01-24
  • Southern [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) was preparing for some long-awaited rain this weekend, bringing some respite after enormous [wildfires](https://www.theguardian.com/world/wildfires) have raged for weeks, but with the potential to cause mudslides, flooding and toxic ash runoff. Rain is forecast for much of Los Angeles from Saturday afternoon, [the National Weather Service said](https://www.weather.gov/lox/). It said there was a “5-10%” chance of significant debris in burn scars, but officials have begun preparations for potential debris flows. The forecast precipitation comes as [Donald Trump](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/donaldtrump) is set to visit California later on Friday to tour areas hit by the lethal wildfires. Trump has falsely claimed that California’s water policies have contributed to the damage and he has vented about the state’s Democratic governor, [Gavin Newsom](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/gavin-newsom), in highly politicized statements during one of the worst natural disasters in US history. Karen Bass, the mayor of [Los Angeles](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/los-angeles), issued an executive order earlier this week to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of the possible weekend rain, which could create mud and debris flows. While the risk of major mudslides or debris flows is low, Newsom said the state was preparing for the potential impact. “Even before we saw rain on the horizon in Los Angeles, I directed my departments and agencies to act fast to protect neighborhoods from potentially hazardous debris flows,” Newsom said. “By stationing resources and staff in key locations, we can help make a difference as we transition from fire response to storm preparedness.” In January 2018 mudslides in [Montecito](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2018/jan/10/california-mudslide-montecito-death-toll-wildfires-climate-change#:~:text=At%20least%2017%20people%20died,and%20hundreds%20marooned%2C%20authorities%20said.), north-west of LA, killed 23 people, after heavy rains followed wildfires in the area. [map of fires](https://interactive.guim.co.uk/uploader/embed/2025/01/lafires24jan-zip/giv-4559tbHkIxANwVY4/) Trump was due to fly in to California on Friday after visiting areas of North Carolina hit by [Hurricane Helene](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/hurricane-helene) last year, in his first presidential trip since his inauguration on Monday. Earlier this week Trump said: “We’re going to take care of Los Angeles,” but in an [interview with Sean Hannity](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/23/donald-trump-sean-hannity-interview-january-6-pardons-inauguration-fox-news) on Wednesday he suggested his administration could withhold aid to stricken areas, citing a false claim about California’s water policies. He has also returned this week to political themes he took up over North Carolina at the time of the disaster there, having accused the Biden administration of being selective with aid after the hurricane because many affected were Republican voters. The president has falsely insisted that [California water policies](https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-republicans-taxes-eea4754a0f580d451aa0588f0639d52c), specifically fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state, contributed to hydrants running dry in the Los Angeles area. “I don’t think we should give [California](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/california) anything until they let the water run down,” Trump told Hannity. The White House has asked California congressional members, including Democrats, to hold a roundtable at an airplane hangar in Santa Monica during Trump’s visit, Associated Press reported. Trump has suggested using federal disaster assistance as a bargaining chip during unrelated legislative negotiations over government borrowing, or as leverage to persuade California to change its water policies. As LA readied itself for rain, the San Diego fire department [warned](https://x.com/CALFIRESANDIEGO/status/1882733628893106490) that a fire near the US-Mexico border had increased to 800 acres in size. On Thursday night [officials said](https://x.com/CALFIRESANDIEGO/status/1882634811439026455) the fire was 0% contained, and people in the Otay wilderness area, south-east of San Diego, were under an [evacuation order](https://x.com/SDSheriff/status/1882745723579675068).
2025-02-01
  • The [Palisades and Eaton wildfires](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/los-angeles), which killed at least 29 people and burned across about 60 sq miles (155 sq km) around Los Angeles, have been fully contained. California’s department of forestry and fire protection’s [announcement](https://www.fire.ca.gov/) on Friday came more than three weeks after the two blazes battered this highly populated area of southern California, laying waste to [entire neighborhoods](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/31/california-fires-cause-utilities) – including Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Containment refers to how much of a perimeter has been established around a fire to prevent it from growing, [according to NBC News](https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/wildfires/palisades-eaton-fire-la-contained-rcna188338). The Palisades fire erupted on 7 January north of Malibu, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. The blaze began as a brush fire and rapidly spread amid southern California’s arid conditions. That night, the Eaton fire broke out in [Los Angeles](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/los-angeles) county. This blaze started in the Angeles national forest’s foothills, according to NBC News and, like the Palisades fire, was fueled by dry conditions. The Palisades fire engulfed 23,448 acres (9,489 hectares) and the Eaton fire burned 14,021 (5,674), officials said, and both infernos were made more powerful by the strong Santa Ana winds. Early estimates put [economic losses](https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-01-24/estimated-cost-of-fire-damage-balloons-to-more-than-250-billion) at more than $250bn. Authorities are now probing the fires’ origins. With the Palisades fire, investigators are studying whether a small fire, which firefighters thought they had extinguished, was rekindled by hurricane-force winds across the area, [the Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-30/inside-the-intense-search-for-what-or-who-started-the-palisades-fire) said. Officials investigating the Eaton fire are examining whether utilities played a role. LA superior court judge Ashfaq G Chowdhury ordered Southern California Edison to preserve its equipment, data and evidence related to the Eaton blaze, according to the Times. A handful of homeowners have sued Southern California Edison, claiming that its equipment sparked the fire. Authorities are focusing on the base of an electrical tower on an Eaton Canyon hill. Area residents recorded photos and video of what could be the first flames from the Eaton fire, which appear to be at the bottom of an electrical transmission tower before it spread downhill toward houses, the Los Angeles Times [reported](https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-12/la-me-eaton-fire-power-lines). Southern California Edison has been linked to multiple wildfires. Investigators determined that faulty equipment spurred 2017’s Thomas fire and [2018’s Woolsey fire](https://www.cpuc.ca.gov/-/media/cpuc-website/divisions/safety-and-enforcement-division/investigations-wildfires/sed-investigation-report---woolsey-fire---redacted.pdf), which killed three people and caused $6bn in damage. Southern California Edison has said it will cooperate with authorities. “While this remains an ongoing investigation, we’re continuing our commitment to transparency and we’ll continue to fully cooperate with the investigation,” Kathleen Dunleavy, a Southern California Edison spokesperson, said. California has previously seen wildfires sparked by other utility equipment. The Camp fire, which left 85 people dead and razed the town of Paradise, started when a century-old piece of power equipment malfunctioned and spewed sparks into brush. The Pacific Gas and Electric utility company pleaded guilty to dozens of counts of involuntary manslaughter and settled with local municipalities for $560m and survivors of the Camp fire, and other fatal infernos, for $13.5bn. Pacific Gas and Electric equipment also caused the [Zogg](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/jun/03/us-zogg-wildfire-power-company-avoided-trial) and Dixie wildfires in California.
2025-02-03
  • State Farm General, California’s largest home insurer, is seeking an emergency rate increase for homeowners following the Los Angeles wildfires last month. If approved, the hike would average a 22% increase for policyholders. The insurance giant claims that the fires have put the company under increased financial strain. The company has already received at least 8,700 claims and paid more than $1bn to customers and expects to pay out “significantly more”, according to a [press release](https://newsroom.statefarm.com/state-farm-general-insurance-company-update-on-california-2-2025/). “Insurance will cost more for customers in California going forward because the risk is greater in California,” the statement reads. “That is foundational to how insurance works. Higher risks should pay more for insurance than lower risks.” The recent wildfires have been one of the most expensive natural disasters the insurance has faced in its history. They go on to warn that further “capital deterioration” as a result of the wildfires could harm their ability to pay out insurance across the board, including customers with a mortgage possibly losing the ability to “use State Farm General insurance on the collateral backing for their mortgage”. The statement says that “immediate emergency interim approval of additional rate is essential to more closely align cost and risk and enable State Farm General to rebuild capital”. Consumer Watchdog, a LA-based advocacy group, disputed that State Farm General was in financial trouble. They claim that the insurers made underwriting profits of $1.4bin between 2020 and 2023, and that parent company State Farm Mutual had “$134 billion in the bank”. “Filling State Farm’s bank accounts shouldn’t fall on the backs of California homeowners recovering from disaster,” the group told the [Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2025-02-03/state-farm-californias-largest-homeowners-insurer-asked-monday-for-an-emergency-22-rate-increase). State Farm currently insures about 1 million homeowners in the state of California, and also has an additional 2.8m other policies active across the state. In June of last year, the company sought a 30% rate hike for homeowners polices, as well as a 36% increase for condo owners and a 52% increase for renters. The sudden increase raised questions about the insurer’s financial stability. State Farm chose [not to renew](https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/jan/16/california-wildfire-policies-insurance) fire insurance for 1,626 State Farm customers in the Palisades neighborhood in 2024, according to California’s insurance office. They represented about 70% of State Farm’s market share in Pacific Palisades, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. Finding fire insurance for homes in areas with high fire risk is a challenge that will only increase for Californians, experts predict. Michael Coffey, an insurance defense litigator who works on large, global insurance cases, says he expects more insurance companies to leave the state – forcing prices up for everyone. The company notes that they’ve made the decision in recent years to “limit overexposure” in high-risk areas. The company previously stopped writing any new policies in California in May 2023, with the exception of personal auto insurance policies. Last month, State Farm announced that it had canceled a planned commercial scheduled to run during the 2025 Super Bowl, citing the LA wildfires as their main priority. “Our focus is firmly on providing support to the people of Los Angeles. We will not be advertising during the game as originally planned,” the company said in a statement to [CBS MoneyWatch](https://www.cbsnews.com/news/super-bowl-2025-ad-wildfire-california-state-farm/). _Katharine Gammon contributed to this report_