Three wildfires were raging near Los Angeles on Tuesday, September 10, amid a heatwave, drought and strong winds in California. New evacuations of residents and tourist areas have been ordered. Huge clouds of smoke are rising over the affected areas near the second-largest city in the United States, which covers more than 1,200 km², causing a deterioration in air quality for residents.
Thousands of firefighters, supported by the national fire brigade, are deployed on the ground to try to stop the spread of these fires, which have caused the closure of several roads. The authorities have not yet recorded any deaths or serious injuries.
Southeast of Los Angeles, the blaze dubbed the “Airport Fire” has burned more than 9,000 acres (3,600 hectares) since Monday and has forced schools to close because of smoke. It continued to gain intensity Tuesday, according to Capt. Steve Concialdi, and is now threatening the summit of Santiago Peak, where antennas used by local media and authorities are installed.
Extreme weather events are becoming more frequent
Northeast of the city, the Line Fire, which prompted the evacuation of tourist sites, also continued to advance on Tuesday, burning more than 27,000 acres (11,300 hectares). A smaller fire called the Bridge Fire remained active north of Los Angeles. “Stronger winds are forecast for Tuesday night into Wednesday, which could lead to a drop in relative humidity and further spread of the fire.”warned the state agency Cal Fire.
The fires, which are threatening tens of thousands of homes and businesses, have forced the evacuation of many residents. Their spread is accelerated by the heat wave affecting the region, where in recent days the mercury has exceeded 43°C in some places. According to weather forecasts, temperatures are expected to drop from Thursday.
With global warming, the western part of the North American continent is increasingly affected by extreme weather events such as heat waves, droughts and fires.
