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January 16, 2025 | 07:18 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Los Angeles fires have been brought under control. Firefighters battling the devastating Los Angeles wildfires made significant progress on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, as high winds began to subside. However, officials warned that the danger still looms.
A Cal Fire spokesperson described the ongoing firefighting efforts as extremely challenging and stressed ‘the potential for fire growth’. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass urged residents to remain vigilant. “We are not completely safe,” she said as cited by Al Jazeera.
Latest Developments
At least 25 people have lost their lives in the fires. Nine fatalities were reported in the Palisades fire and 16 in the Eaton fire.
The fires have scorched approximately 9,596 acres of land. Firefighters are working to contain the fires, with current containment levels at 21%. Efforts are focused on preventing the fire from spreading to Brentwood, home to the Getty Center museum.
Easing Santa Ana Winds
The strong Santa Ana winds that have hit Southern California are expected to weaken, bringing temporary relief to the region.
On Friday, a shift in wind direction will bring in more humid air which, combined with lighter winds, will reduce the risk of fires throughout the weekend.
However, the National Weather Service in Los Angeles has issued a warning of another potential round of Santa Ana winds as early as Tuesday or Wednesday of next week. The strength of these winds remains uncertain.
Evacuation Number Tops 200,000
As of Wednesday, County Sheriff Robert Luna reported that about 82,400 people were under mandatory evacuation orders, while another 90,400 were under evacuation warnings.
Conditions are expected to improve this week, with wind speeds are expected to gradually decrease. “The really good news is that today will be the last really windy day. Look for a marked decrease in the winds this afternoon,” wrote the National Weather Service.
Despite the improving conditions, the combination of strong wind gusts and low relative humidity of below 15 percent will continue to pose a significant risk of rapid fire spread.
Firefighters and police continue to face ongoing challenges. Since the outbreak of the fires last week, authorities have arrested approximately six individuals accused of intentionally setting small fires, all of which were quickly extinguished.
One suspect admitted to starting a fire in a tree because he enjoyed the smell of burning leaves, according to Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell, while another suspect confessed that she enjoyed causing chaos and destruction.
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