Wind-driven wildfires devastate Los Angeles
Ferocious winds drove fast-moving fires through LA neighbourhoods, destroying thousands of homes in one of the costliest disasters in US history.
Ferocious, hurricane-force winds drove multiple fast-moving wildfires through the Los Angeles area in early January, destroying thousands of homes, killing dozens of people and forcing mass evacuations in one of the most destructive and costly wildfire disasters in United States history.
The fires erupted amid a dangerous combination of powerful Santa Ana winds, exceptionally dry vegetation and a prolonged lack of rain. Fanned by gusts, the flames spread with terrifying speed through hillside and coastal neighbourhoods, overwhelming firefighters and leaving residents little time to flee. Whole communities were reduced to ash.
The scale of the destruction was staggering, with tens of thousands of acres burned and vast numbers of structures destroyed across several separate fires. The losses ran into the tens of billions of dollars, straining the region and its insurance market.
The disaster unfolded in the heart of a major American city, a jarring reminder that wildfire is no longer confined to remote wildlands. Scientists pointed to the role of climate change in creating the conditions for such catastrophes, as warming dries out vegetation and lengthens the fire season, colliding with powerful seasonal winds.
The fires prompted urgent debate over how cities built in fire-prone landscapes can adapt, from vegetation management and building codes to water supply and insurance. For Los Angeles, the January firestorm was a devastating blow and a stark warning of the growing threat in a warming, drying West.