Los Angeles updates: Red flag warning issued ahead of ‘dangerous’ winds, new fire breaks out in Ventura

The National Weather Service in Los Angeles stressed that red flag warnings represent the “worst-case scenario” and urged people to stay safe.

“Extreme fire danger will continue until Wednesday,” they said in a social media post. PDS Red Flag Warnings are for extreme fire weather scenarios.

“In other words, this setup is a disaster. Be aware of your surroundings. Prepare to evacuate. Avoid anything that could start a fire.”

Officials don’t yet know what caused the deadly fires in the Los Angeles area, but they do know one obvious way the flames spread: embers.

Contrary to popular belief, experts say most homes destroyed by wildfires are not engulfed by a wall of intense flames, but rather ignite from embers in the air. .

Embers are burning debris. Once airborne, the more technical term is “firebrand,” said James Urban, assistant professor of fire protection engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

“In wildland fires, it’s usually wood chips or other types of vegetation that are burning,” he says. “But if you have a fire in an urban area, it could be vegetation, it could be part of your home, it could be pretty much anything that burns.”

Their size varies from small spots to large clumps.

A red flag warning has been issued for Los Angeles and is expected to remain in effect until noon Wednesday.

It covers most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties to Santa Barbara County and the mountains of San Luis Obispo.

The report warned of wind gusts of up to 110 mph and warned of “particularly hazardous conditions” for two small areas: the Ventura County Valley and the Ventura County Coast.

A fire that broke out Tuesday north of downtown Los Angeles destroyed more than 12,000 homes, cars and other structures.

Authorities have not determined an official cause for either fire. Southern California Edison confirmed that authorities are investigating whether its equipment may have started the small fire.

A lawsuit filed Monday alleges the utility’s equipment caused the larger Eaton fire. Edison did not respond to requests for comment and said last week that it had not received any indication that its equipment ignited the fire.

Early estimates from AccuWeather suggest the fires could be the costliest in U.S. history, exceeding $250 billion, including costs incurred in the coming days. The cost to rebuild commercial properties and homes in the fire-hit areas could be $14.8 billion, according to real estate data tracking firm CoreLogic.

A week after two massive infernos destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people, anxious residents fear the worst as dangerous winds are expected to pick up on Tuesday. We are prepared.

Tabitha Trosen feels like she’s packed something meaningful into her life and is “tottering” on the brink, living in constant fear that her neighborhood might be the next to be threatened. Ta.

“My cats are ready to go. I have a carrier bag by the door with little stuffed animals and things like that,” Trosen said. “It’s like, how do I take care of myself? What grounds me as a human being and reminds me of my background, my life, my family.”

On Monday, planes doused houses and hillsides with bright pink flame retardant, while crews and fire trucks positioned dry brush near particularly vulnerable spots. Last week, two of the biggest fires broke out and dozens more water tankers were called in as fire hydrants ran dry.

Nathan Hochman told reporters that the stolen items included an Emmy award, which was taken from the Altadena resident’s home by four people who were quickly arrested. Officials will not get involved in who receives the Emmy.

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Evan Griffiths, organist and music director at the Altadena Community Church, which was destroyed in the Los Angeles fires, told BBC Newsday: “It’s especially devastating for people who have lost their homes to also lose their spiritual home.” It was spot on,” he said.

A Los Angeles-based asset management company is grappling with the impact of the region’s devastating wildfires on its business, including relocating some office space and supporting displaced staff. .

The Los Angeles area is home to major industry players such as Capital Group, TCW Group, and hedge funds Oaktree Capital and Ares Management. In total, Los Angeles companies manage more than $4 trillion of the $132 trillion in global assets managed in the United States.

The fire reduced entire neighborhoods to smoldering ruins, leaving behind an apocalyptic landscape, devastating both suburbs and wealthy enclaves.

Katie Koch, president and CEO of TCW, which manages $203 billion in assets, wrote in a letter to colleagues in Los Angeles that “many team members have been forced to evacuate and my personal Some people, including families, have been left completely homeless.” She reposted it on LinkedIn.

Anacapa Advisors, a $60.5 million hedge fund that moved to new, larger offices in Pacific Palisades just weeks before the fire, said the Palisades fire was the largest of several to hit across Los Angeles County. I witnessed a building burn down. Community, according to a company spokesperson.

Anacapa founder and chief information officer Phil Pecsok said in a letter to the company’s customers that all employees are safe and the team has successfully activated its business continuity plan.

They are currently working remotely “with full access to the trading platform and risk monitoring system.” They have ordered additional trading screens and are continually communicating with each other via Zoom, he said.

Los Angeles officials are bracing for a return to the strong winds that caused wildfires to spread across California this week and have now burned about 60 square miles of the region.

The National Weather Service (NWS) said winds will be calmer than last week in Los Angeles and Ventura counties from Monday through Wednesday, but winds are expected to reach 110 mph in the mountains and 60 mph along the coast and valleys. .

The NWS warned of “particularly dangerous conditions” in the coming days.

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The massive blaze, one of several large blazes in Southern California, is now 97 percent contained, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

He said in a tweet that the 799-acre Hearst Fire was largely contained due to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s response.