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  • Los Angeles Fires Burn More Urban Land Than Any Blaze In California In Four Decades

Los Angeles Fires Burn More Urban Land Than Any Blaze In California In Four Decades

The Eaton and Palisades wildfires in Los Angeles have burned nearly four square miles of densely populated urban land, the most significant destruction in California in over 40 years. Experts say that urban sprawl and climate change are major factors in increased wildfire threats.

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Los Angeles Fires Burn More Urban Land Than Any Blaze In California In Four Decades

Los Angeles Fires Burn More Urban Land Than Any Blaze In California In Four Decades


Two deadly wildfires currently blazing in Los Angeles have consumed more urban land than any other wildfire in California in at least 40 years. The Eaton and Palisades fires, which erupted last week, have burned nearly four square miles of densely populated areas between them. That’s more than double the urban acreage consumed by the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which was one of the most destructive on record in the region.

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Wildfires Engulf Dense Urban Areas In Los Angeles

According to an Associated Press analysis, the Eaton and Palisades fires have caused unprecedented damage to highly urbanized sections of Los Angeles. The level of destruction brought by these fires is said to be the most massive in recent memory. Data from the Silvis Lab of the University of Wisconsin-Madison indicate that the two fires have consumed more than four square miles of densely populated land, towns with thousands of residents.

For example, the Woolsey Fire of 2018, which also hit Los Angeles, burned a greater overall area. Still, much of the land the Woolsey Fire burned was unpopulated, unlike the Eaton and Palisades fires, which have ravaged heavily populated neighborhoods.

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There are several reasons experts say wildfires are more likely to impact urban areas in the future. Expansion of urban areas into wildland zones is one major issue. Cities are expanding rapidly, and most residential and commercial buildings are now being built in areas prone to wildfires.

Global warming has worsened the risks due to extreme weather conditions; more severe global warming is resulting in extreme weather events, including longer droughts that dry out the vegetation, leaving it to serve as perfect fuel for wildfires.

According to researcher Franz Schug of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, if these conditions continue to intensify or more frequently occur in the future, it is also likely that densely populated areas may be increasingly challenged by wildfires. “If these conditions get worse or more frequent in the future, it wouldn’t be surprising if there were more events that threaten densely populated places,” he said.

Timing And Track For Wildfires In January

What makes the Eaton and Palisades fires stand out is not only the damage they have caused but also the timing. These are the largest wildfires in California for January, and they have spread through urban areas in a manner that experts believe has no precedent in history. According to Alexandra Syphard, a senior research scientist at the Conservation Biology Institute, the path that these fires have taken through the city is unprecedented for this time of year.

Although there is no specific explanation about what happened to cause the Eaton and Palisades fires, the extreme conditions in California created heavy conditions that fueled the intensity of the fires. Heavy rainfalls at the beginning of the year contributed to overgrowth, followed by the extreme drought condition. This created the most ideal conditions under which the fires set as the dried-up vegetation now turned highly flammable.

The human element also plays a significant role. Between 1990 and 2020, California saw the construction of approximately 1.4 million homes in areas where residential properties intersect with wildland. This growth has increased the risk of wildfires affecting urban areas, with the Silvis Lab noting a 40% increase in this type of development.

As David Helmers, an Silvis Lab data scientist, has pointed out, “Humans tend to ignite fires, but they also fight fires.” Due to their close proximity to inhabited localities, these fires often get doused much earlier as compared to those in far-off areas, and the threat persists .

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