Potężne pożary w hrabstwie Los Angeles

HANDOUT - Los Angeles County is grappling with multiple devastating wildfires that erupted in early January 2025, fuelled by parched conditions and fierce Santa Ana winds reaching speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. Thousands of structures have been destroyed, and evacuation orders remain in effect across several areas. One of the largest blazes, the Palisades Fire, broke out on the morning of 7 January near the Pacific Palisades neighbourhood. Satellite imagery from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 shows the fire shortly after it ignited, with plumes of smoke streaming westward towards the Pacific Ocean. By the afternoon of 8 January, the fire had scorched over 11,000 acres (44 square kilometres) and advanced along the Pacific Coast Highway towards Malibu, according to Cal Fire. Farther inland, the Eaton Fire erupted in Altadena, north of downtown Los Angeles, on the evening of 7 January. Rapidly spreading, it engulfed over 10,000 acres, impacting areas of Pasadena and Altadena. Meanwhile, the Hurst Fire ignited in San Fernando later that night, adding to the region's mounting crisis. The fires have been exacerbated by the infamous Santa Ana winds, a weather phenomenon common between October and January. These winds are driven by a pressure gradient between the Great Basin to the east and the cooler Pacific Ocean to the west, sending dry, gusty air through mountain canyons towards coastal areas. Compounding the danger is an unprecedented lack of rainfall. Southern California has experienced its driest start to winter on record, with negligible rain since October. The Los Angeles International Airport, for instance, has recorded just 0.03 inches (0.08 centimetres) of rain since the start of the water year on 1 October-a stark record dating back to 1944, according to the National Weather Service. Climate scientist Daniel Swain noted that the combination of powerful winds and arid conditions has created "critical" fire weather. As firefighters battle to contain the blazes, residents in affected areas have been urged to evacuate promptly and adhere to safety guidance. The ongoing fires underscore the growing challenges posed by increasingly erratic weather patterns in Southern California, where fire seasons have become longer and more severe in recent years. Officials are continuing to monitor the fires closely, with hopes pinned on changing weather conditions to aid containment efforts. For now, Los Angeles County remains on high alert as the battle against these destructive wildfires continues. Los Angeles, California, USA on January 8, 2025. Photo by NASA Earth Observatory/ESA via ABACAPRESS.COM