Fast, dry winds threaten to return at end of weekend and fuel California fires
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Moderate to strong wind and low humidity continues as five fires rage across Los Angeles area, already killing 10 people. Weather forecasters in Los Angeles expect fast, dry winds to return towards the end of the weekend, threatening to fuel wildfires that have already destroyed 10,000 structures and killed 10 people.
Urgent “red flag” alerts – meaning critical fire weather conditions – announced by the US National Weather Service (NWS) said moderate to strong wind and low humidity would continue on Friday morning, as five fires raged across the metropolis.
Barbara Bruderlin, head of the Malibu Pacific Palisades Chamber of Commerce, described the impact of the infernos as “total devastation and loss”. “There are areas where everything is gone, there isn’t even a stick of wood left, it’s just dirt,” Bruderlin said.
Cadaver dogs and crews were searching through rubble to see if there are more victims. Two of the dead were Anthony Mitchell, a 67-year-old amputee, and his son, Justin, who had cerebral palsy. They were waiting for an ambulance to come when the flames roared through, Mitchell’s daughter, Hajime White, told The Washington Post.
In another incident, Shari Shaw told local media outlet KTLA that she tried to get her 66-year-old brother, Victor Shaw, to evacuate Tuesday night but he wanted to stay and fight the fire. Crews found his body with a garden hose in his hand. Winds were likely to diminish on Friday afternoon, the NWS said, but warned an “extended period of elevated to potentially critical fire weather conditions are in the forecast for Sunday through Wednesday”.
