Climate Consequence: California Warns Of ‘Extremely Critical’ Fire Threat Near Los Angeles

Due to high Santa Ana winds, California’s Los Angeles and Ventura Counties have issued red flag warnings over spreading wildfires, with the National Weather Service saying there is a risk of “extreme & life-threatening wildfire behavior.” The current threat is due to the Franklin Fire.

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The current threat is due to the Franklin Fire, which the NWS indicated could eventually be as strong as the recent Mountain Fire, which covered over 20,000 acres and destroyed several hundred structures.

The financial damage could be significant, with Front Line Fire Defense noting that, “Wildfires in urban areas tend to result in the most significant financial losses, as they destroy more structures, compared to wildland fires which primarily burn vegetation.”

Years-long drought
Heavy rain in the region early this year and in 2023 has not brought enough precipitation to offset drier weather later in the year; meanwhile, the long-term overall drought in the western U.S. is not expected to end soon if it ever does.

Because fallen utility lines often cause these fires, another financial effect is the risk of rolling electricity blackouts. Utilities have started to counter this as they try to keep their liability risk low. 

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