Unusually dry conditions and hurricane-force seasonal winds are fueling multiple fast-moving and destructive wildfires in Los Angeles County. Gusts that reached over 145 kilometers per hour (90 miles per hour) quickly drove the blazes into urban areas, forcing more than 100,000 people to evacuate from their homes and killing at least 5 people as of JAn. 8. ...
One of the big reasons the Los Angeles–area fires are growing so out of control is that Santa Ana winds are blowing across the region. These winds typically occur in the fall and winter, and they involve dry wind blowing from inland, high desert areas toward the California coast. Along the way, the wind blows over mountain ranges. As the wind descends the mountains, it becomes compressed due to the increased atmospheric pressure and warms. That in turn lowers the relative humidity of the already dry desert air, making it better at desiccating vegetation that can fuel fires.
While scientists have long monitored vulnerable groups like the elderly during extreme weather events, new evidence reveals a startling trend: Younger workers have become one of the most at-risk groups for heat-related deaths over the past two decades.
