theguardian.com
California Wildfires Fueled by High Winds
Fast-moving wildfires erupted across California due to powerful winds, causing evacuations, injuries, and power shutoffs.
English
United Kingdom
Us PoliticsClimate ChangeCaliforniaWildfiresWeatherEmergencyWind
Ventura County Fire DepartmentNational Weather ServicePacific Gas And Electric Company (Pg&E)
Dr. Daniel Swain
- What caused the rapid spread of the Mountain Fire in Ventura County?
- The Mountain Fire, fueled by 70mph winds, rapidly spread across thousands of acres in Ventura County, California, causing evacuations and numerous injuries.
- What challenges did firefighters face in combating the Mountain Fire?
- Due to extreme wind conditions, fixed-wing aircraft couldn't assist in firefighting efforts; ground crews, helicopters, and mutual aid resources were deployed to protect lives and property.
- What measures were taken to limit further ignitions from the high winds?
- Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) shut off power to tens of thousands of accounts across California to prevent further ignitions from sparking in the dangerous conditions.
- What areas of California were under red flag warnings due to the severe weather?
- Red flag warnings were issued across parts of California, from the central coast through the San Francisco Bay Area, with sustained winds of 30mph and potential gusts exceeding 55mph in mountain areas.
- What were the weather conditions that exacerbated the fire risk in Southern California?
- The National Weather Service warned of "extremely critical" fire conditions, with predicted gusts between 50 and 100mph and humidity as low as 8%, creating conditions ripe for "extreme and life-threatening" fire behavior.