The Wall Street Journal: The Los Angeles fires in January were exacerbated by strong winds, limited water supply, and challenging terrain, making containment difficult despite extensive firefighting efforts.
The Wall Street Journal - LAFD Captain Breaks Down Why the L.A. Fires Are So Hard to Fight | WSJ Hindsight
The Los Angeles fires began on January 7th, with the first fire quickly extinguished but followed by more severe fires driven by strong winds. Firefighters faced challenges such as limited water supply, with local water systems not designed for such large-scale fires, and the grounding of aerial support due to high winds. Evacuations were complicated by clogged roads, and the fires spread rapidly across rugged terrain, making containment difficult. Despite efforts to create fire lines and use air support when possible, the fires covered over 27,000 acres by the end of the second day. The Palisades and Eaton fires took weeks to contain, highlighting the need for improved water supply systems and evacuation procedures. Early reports indicated 28 fatalities and over 40,000 acres burned, with ongoing risks of mudslides in affected areas.
Key Points:
- Strong winds and rugged terrain made firefighting efforts challenging.
- Local water systems were insufficient for the scale of the fires.
- Aerial firefighting was hindered by high winds, grounding aircraft.
- Evacuation routes were clogged, complicating emergency responses.
- The fires highlighted the need for better water supply and evacuation plans.
Details:
1. 🔥 Fear of the Uncontrollable Blaze
- A fire not controlled within the first 20 minutes can potentially spread over thousands of acres, emphasizing the need for rapid response strategies.
- The 20-minute mark serves as a critical threshold in wildfire management, illustrating the necessity for immediate action to prevent large-scale destruction.
- Implementing rapid deployment of firefighting resources and technologies can significantly enhance containment success within the crucial initial phase.
- Examples of successful containment within this time frame highlight the strategic value of preparedness and effective resource allocation.
2. 🚒 Firefighting Forces Mobilized
- On January 7th, all 106 LAFD fire stations were mobilized to address the Los Angeles fires.
- State and Cal Fire enhanced their response by deploying hundreds of additional resources, including personnel and equipment, across seven counties.
- These efforts covered approximately 40,000 square miles, demonstrating a significant multi-jurisdictional response.
- Specific firefighting strategies included aerial support and ground containment measures to manage the widespread fires effectively.
3. 🥊 Los Angeles vs. Relentless Fires
- Los Angeles must ensure quick access to major thoroughfares like freeways for rapid response to fire outbreaks during significant wind events.
- The unpredictability of fire locations during these wind events complicates preparedness efforts, making it difficult to allocate resources effectively.
- Despite extensive preparation efforts, Los Angeles experiences severe impacts from continuous fires, as if being in a boxing ring taking relentless hits.
- Past fire events, such as the 2018 Woolsey Fire which burned nearly 100,000 acres and destroyed over 1,500 structures, highlight the scale of challenges faced by the city.
- To improve resilience, Los Angeles could benefit from investing in advanced predictive technologies and enhancing community preparedness programs.
4. 🔥 Initial Fires and Rapid Spread
4.1. 🔥 Initial Fire Outbreak
4.2. 🚨 Rapid Spread Due to Weather
5. 🚨 Evacuations and Multi-Agency Response
- Urgent evacuations were initiated as a brush fire threatened Pacific Palisades, with smoke visible from the PCH, leading to immediate action to safeguard residents.
- Residents were directed to evacuate through Sunset on the PCH towards Santa Monica, resulting in significant congestion and numerous abandoned vehicles blocking routes.
- Firefighters utilized bulldozers to clear these abandoned vehicles, ensuring that emergency vehicles could access critical areas without delay.
- The situation required a coordinated response beyond LAFD's jurisdiction, involving Los Angeles County Fire Department, Pasadena Fire, and the United States Forest Services, highlighting effective inter-agency collaboration.
- These agencies worked together to manage the fire's spread, demonstrating a strategic partnership and resource sharing to maximize response efficiency.
6. 💨 The Struggle Against Nature's Fury
- Initial reports by the end of the first day indicated three rapidly growing fires covering more than 3000 acres, threatening homes.
- Wind speeds reached nearly 100 miles an hour, significantly impacting firefighting efforts.
- Two types of brush fires were identified: topography-driven fires, which move uphill and are stopped by natural barriers, and wind-driven fires, which spread erratically and rapidly, moving like a freight train.
- The intense winds affected personnel, with reports of being knocked off balance multiple times, even for individuals weighing 220 pounds.
- The unique challenges posed by wind-driven fires were highlighted by past incidents, such as the 2018 Camp Fire, which demonstrated how high winds can transform small blazes into catastrophic events.
7. 🚁 Grounded Air Fleets and Water Woes
7.1. Aerial Firefighting Challenges
7.2. Water Supply Issues
8. 🌲 Terrain Challenges and Containment Efforts
- Despite a constant water supply, massive fires remained uncontrollable due to their size and intensity, coupled with challenging wind conditions.
- By the end of day two, firefighters were managing five fires across Los Angeles, covering over 27,000 acres, with a sixth fire igniting shortly after.
- Fires like Sunset, Hurst, Lidia, and Kenneth were contained swiftly, whereas the Eaton and Palisades fires posed significant challenges due to rugged and steep terrain.
- Firefighters employed bulldozing, cutting, and digging to create fire lines, and used aerial drops of water or fire retardant to incrementally contain fires.
- Strategic deployment of strike teams in narrow areas, such as Mandeville Canyon, was critical for establishing containment boundaries.
- In the Eaton Fire, containment focused first on the South and East areas, with aircraft used for the North due to unsafe cliff faces.
- The Palisades fire required two weeks to achieve 63% containment, demonstrating the difficulties posed by challenging terrain.
9. 🔍 Aftermath and Future Risks
- Early reports indicate that 28 people died in the first two weeks of the LA fires, and over 40,000 acres have burned, which is almost three times the size of Manhattan.
- The wildfire season is now considered year-round rather than a single season, increasing the risk and frequency of such events.
- Many questions remain about emergency response, including the adequacy of water supply and evacuation notices, particularly in Altadena.
- Homes that survive the fires are at risk of mudslides due to the destruction of brush that previously stabilized the mountainside, posing another imminent threat, especially as LA enters the rainy season.
- The environmental impact extends to air quality deterioration and wildlife displacement, which are additional concerns for the affected regions.
- Policy changes are under discussion to improve emergency response and infrastructure resilience to better handle future incidents.
