Unusually dry conditions and powerful winds

A resurgence in offshore winds is expected to keep the fire risk high in the region through Friday morning, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Santa Ana winds, typical at this time of year, are blowing west and downslope from the Great Basin, but conditions are unusually bone-dry. More than 15,000 acres have burned in the Palisades Fire, with other fires in the region also spreading rapidly due to challenging conditions and high winds. Almost all of California’s largest wildfires have occurred in the last decade, and climate change is amplifying the factors that lead to wildfires. Although it is not yet known if climate change is altering winds significantly, it is impacting rainfall and drought patterns, leading to more extreme, erratic weather. This erratic weather pattern, characterized by wetter wet periods and drier dry periods, increases the risk of severe flooding followed by drought in a region like Southern California. This unpredictable climate puts people and communities at a heightened risk for extreme events, such as wildfires. As a result, efforts to manage and prevent fires must take into account the changing climate patterns in order to effectively protect lives and property from wildfires.

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