Article Options
Teaching Resources

Wildfires Strike Again

A series of blazes hit Southern California just months after the state suffered the most devastating fires in its history 

December 2017
By Jacob Batchelor
Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

The fire reached the northbound 101 freeway in Ventura, California, on December 6. 

Major wildfires broke out in parts of southern California on Monday December 4. Dozens of schools in Los Angeles and Ventura County closed. Thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate their homes as the fires spread. So far hundreds of homes have been destroyed—and the fires continue to burn across the area.

The fires spread quickly. By Wednesday, California Governor Jerry Brown had declared a state of emergency. State officials sent more than 1,700 firefighters to fight one of the largest blazes. This fire covered more than 50,000 acres. That’s more than three times the size of Manhattan in New York City. But despite the firefighters’ efforts, the fire had nearly doubled in size by Thursday morning.

The destructive blazes came just two months after record-breaking wildfires tore through Northern California. Those fires destroyed thousands of homes and killed more than 40 people. 

Marcus Yam/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Jeff Lipscomb and his daughter Rachel, 11, stand over where her room used to be on December 6, 2017, in Ventura, California.    

Fanning the Flames

Wildfires are relatively common in California. However, they aren’t typically sparked this late in the year. That's because winter weather patterns usually bring more rain. But “we have not had meaningful rainfall across southern California since March,” says Tom Rolinski. He's a senior meteorologist at the U.S. Forest Service in California. These dry conditions make it easier for fires to start.

Adding to the danger are the Santa Ana winds. These high-speed winds blow through Southern California each winter. Wind gusts have reached up to 128 kilometers (80 miles) per hour. These powerful winds have fanned the wildfires’ flames. This has caused the fires to spread more quickly. 

Dangerous Situation

The combination of dry conditions and strong winds is proving dangerous. Rolinski says there will continue to be an extreme risk of more fire through Friday the 8th.

Four major wildfires continue to spread. In the near term, they’re expected to intensify. There's only a small chance that firefighters will be able to contain them anytime soon. The smallest fire currently covers 475 acres. But it threatens parts of the city of Los Angeles—home to nearly 4 million people. 

Earth Science
Natural Disasters
meteorologist

a person who studies the atmosphere and weather
evacuate

to leave a dangerous place
Santa Ana winds

strong, dry winds that blow through Southern California
Text-to-Speech