When you got off Thursday and Friday from school it wasn’t because some higher power recognized your “well-deserved” break before finals, but because of several major fires threatening southern California. Instead of a snow day we got a smoke day. Trump has called for a Federal Emergency Declaration that will mean extra man power and supplies coming in the following days.
The touchy subject of climate change certainly has people asking, is this climate change? Probably. Many people are calling it “perfect fire weather.” The air has a relative humidity of 11 percent after years of drought in Los Angeles and with the sun beating down on dead shrubs, all it takes is one ember. To top it all off, the dry Santa Ana winds disperse fire around multiple areas and thousands of acres. Recent data shows surface winds reaching 26 mph and isolated gusts to 90 mph, with 0 percent precipitation potential.
The biggest fire right now is in Ventura county; the roaring Thomas Fire has spread to 148,000 acres and is only 15 percent contained; officials say they will be fighting this fire for weeks. East of Sylmar is the Creek Fire that has burned 15,000 acres and is now 40 percent contained. Residents were able to return to their houses Thursday night. Lastly, the Rye Fire near Santa Clarita has consumed 7,000 acres and is 35 percent contained and a smaller, yet still important fire is the 475-acre Skirball Fire near the Getty Museum is 20 percent-contained.
“And that’s your latest weather” as Al Roker says. You may see some built-up traffic because vital highways have been closed down in places closest to the fire. The best thing you can do is to stay aware of possible air contamination; there is a great statewide fire map from CalFire to keep you posted. Stay indoors and stay safe.