California [U], January 22: Many new wildfires have broken out in California (USA) while old fires are still at risk of getting stronger due to wind and drought.
According to USA Today , multiple wildfires broke out in San Diego County ( California ) early on the morning of January 21, prompting evacuation orders, school closures and power outages. Meanwhile, officials in Los Angeles remain on high alert amid strong winds and continued drought conditions.
Fire crews responded to three small wildfires overnight in northern San Diego County. The largest, the Lilac Fire, grew to 80 acres and prompted an evacuation in Bonsall, a small community north of San Diego. Officials said the fire damaged two structures and forced 86 residents to evacuate. As of 8 a.m. on Jan. 21, the fire was 10 percent contained.
The Pala Fire, north of Pala Mesa, burned nearly 15 acres. Officials said firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading. They also issued evacuation orders but later lifted them. Another wildfire, the Riverview Fire, burned just 1.4 acres before firefighters brought it under control.
The origin of the fires remains unclear. They broke out as windstorms blew through Southern California overnight and early morning, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service. A gust of 100 mph was recorded in the San Diego Mountains around 10 p.m. on Jan. 20.
As of the morning of January 21, there were 97,000 power outages in California, nearly half of which were in San Diego and neighboring Riverside counties.
In Los Angeles County , where fires have raged for days, firefighters made progress in containing two deadly wildfires that have destroyed more than 15,000 structures and killed at least 27 people. The region remains under a red flag warning, leaving officials concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires could spread or that other fires could erupt.
As of the morning of January 21 (local time), the Palisades Fire was 63% contained while the Eaton Fire was 89% contained. Meteorologists forecast dangerously high winds to blow through Southern California for at least the next two days, according to AP.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
