los angeles — After a year Twin hell Across opposite ends of Los Angeles County, the scars are still visible. Thousands of homes were reduced to rubble as rebuilding slowed, and the death toll showed how wildfires can turn under extreme weather conditions. Disastrous.
the Barriers and Eaton The fires burned within hours of each other on January 6, 2024. These numbers show how quickly the disaster spread and the toll it left behind:
The expected speed of wind gusts in mountainous areas is 145 kilometers per hour. Red flag warnings were issued on January 6 for severe wildfire danger as Southern California was hit by the region’s notorious Santa Ana winds. The grass and brush were dry after months of little or no rain. The National Weather Service warned that the winds could be life-threatening. Firefighting assets have been pre-positioned in areas considered to be particularly vulnerable to fire risk.
How long did it take for a small forest fire to explode in size? At 10:30 a.m., reports began coming in about a small fire on a ridge in Los Angeles’ upscale Pacific Palisades neighborhood, in the same area where crews responded to a previous fire on New Year’s Day. It wasn’t long until a large plume of dark smoke was visible miles away. Shortly after 11 a.m., the fire was reported to have burned about 10 acres (4 hectares), near Palisades Drive on the western edge of the coastal neighborhood.
For the next two hours, the roads were crowded with motorists trying to flee as fires burned through the streets and destroyed homes. Officials issued an evacuation order for the Palisades area while warning residents of surrounding areas to prepare to leave as well. Within hours, the fire quickly broke out.
As firefighting resources focused on the barriers, another fire broke out about 30 miles (48 kilometers) to the east in Altadenaon the other end of Los Angeles County. The Eaton Fire started at 6:17 p.m. and all firefighting aircraft in the county were quickly grounded due to high winds. By 8pm it had doubled in size.
Area of ​​previously charred land Two hellsEquivalent to 155 square kilometers. This is roughly the size of the entire city of San Francisco.
Number of people who died – 19 in the Eaton fire and 12 in the Palisades fire.
How much time Palisades fire It burned before it was extinguished. Investigators determined that the 37-square-mile (95-square-kilometer) fire was actually caused by a previous blaze that started on January 1.
The number of days it took to extinguish the Eaton fire. 22 square miles (57 square kilometers) were burned.
The amount of federal disaster aid requested by Gov. Gavin Newsom. The Trump administration and Congress have not yet approved it.
The maximum sentence a 29-year-old man faces Filled with excitement Palisades fire. He has pleaded not guilty. the a reason Remnants of the Eaton fire Under investigation.
How many buildings were destroyed in both fires? In Altadena, 9,418 homes and other buildings were leveled. In Pacific Palisades and surrounding areas including Malibu, 6,837 structures, most of them homes, were destroyed.
The number of homes rebuilt so far, according to city and county data. Most are in the Altadena area, with one in Pasadena and two in Pacific Palisades. None were completed in Malibu. There are hundreds more under construction across the region.
Total charitable commitments to Los Angeles fire relief range from $860 million to at least $970 million, according to a study by the Milken Institute. Most of it was raised in the first month after the fires, and individual donations through GoFundMe brought in $265 million.