Wildfires : Contributing Factors in the Unusual Flare-up

Located in Southern California, Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States, is a place of extremes. While known for its glamour, luxurious celebrity neighborhood, and scenic coastal views, the geography and climate of the city make it prone to wildfires. The horror and anticipation of wildfires is not new to the people who live there. The probability of these wildfires have shown to be increasing aggressively. It has now become an ongoing crisis rather than a seasonal threat.

Climate and Weather

LA has subtropical dry climate, commonly known as a Mediterranean climate. It means dry and hot summers and mild and wet winters. Moreover, fierce and fiery Santa Ana winds from the high deserts of Southern California sweep through Los Angeles, bringing intense heat and arid conditions, making it more prone to fire.

Flammable Vegetation

Flammable vegetation like chaparral, coniferous trees, grassland and others are susceptible to catching and igniting fire under dry and hot climatic conditions. The hills around LA are covered with this flammable vegetation, which increases the danger of fire eruption.

Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI)

LA has an urban-wildland interface neighborhood where urban population and infrastructure meet with natural wildland, which increases the risk of accidental fires. Human activities like abandoned campfires and thrown-away cigarette butts can result in sparking wildfires. Moreover, close proximity of urban areas to the wild terrain put human life and properties at major risk.

Climate Change

LA is experiencing warmer winters, hotter summers, and longer droughts lately. All these conditions leave the vegetation drier, making it fuel for fires. This climatic change has resulted in increased frequency and intensity of wildfire over the years.

 While fires are a natural part of California’s ecosystem, human activity, climate change, and increasingly hotter, drier conditions have made wildfires more frequent, intense, and destructive. The damage caused by recent fires in Los Angeles has been catastrophic for residents, businesses, and the environment. Los Angeles is a city under constant threat from wildfires due to its climate, urban sprawl, and proximity to wildlands.