FIRE’S WRATH
Horror 3D map shows LA consumed by wildfires as city faces being plunged into darkness before new ‘Devil’s Wind’ threat
LA Mayor Karen Bass said 'urgent preparations' are being made for near hurricane-force winds
A HAUNTING animated map reveals the sheer scale of an LA wildfire that has burned across more than 23,000 acres.
Palisades Fire has been raging for a week - with residents braced for further destruction as severe winds threaten to fan flames.
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A chilling 3D map shows how quickly the blaze - the largest of the fires and one of the most destructive in California's history - decimated the area.
Homes have been reduced to smoldering ruins, while an apocalyptic landscape is all that remains in some neighborhoods.
The Palisades Fire erupted on January 7 - and by that evening had spread across almost 3,000 acres.
It then roared across more than 17,000 acres by the following night.
More on the wildfires
By Saturday morning, the inferno had consumed some 22,660 acres, and continues to spread.
The blaze remained at 14 per cent contained as of Monday evening and has claimed at least eight victims.
At least 24 people have died in total in the fire, and 23 others are missing in the Palisades and Eaton zones.
And now residents in LA face having their power cut today in a desperate attempt to prevent more wildfires from ravaging the city.
Most read in The US Sun
Strong Santa Ana winds - branded the Devil Winds - are expected to arrive early Tuesday morning, bringing an increased threat of more blazes.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power asked users in high-risk fire areas to prepare for outages lasting over 48 hours.
Watch terrifying moment FIRENADOS rage through LA hills as firefighters face crucial 48hr window to finally stop blazes
The utilities authority said on Monday: “Los Angeles is in active fire response and local fire authorities may ask LADWP to de-energise power lines as a preventative measure, to help prevent wildfires and protect communities.”
LA Mayor Karen Bass said "urgent preparations" are being made for near hurricane-force winds predicted to peak on Tuesday.
Fire officials advised residents in high-risk areas to just leave home and not wait for formal evacuation orders - if they sense danger.
The winds are predicted to pick up starting early Tuesday and continue through midday Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
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Fierce winds threaten to spread embers and reverse the progress made so far on two massive infernos that have destroyed thousands of homes.
On Monday, planes doused homes and hillsides with bright pink fire-retardant chemicals, while crews and fire engines were being placed near particularly vulnerable spots with dry brush.
Dozens of water trucks rolled in to replenish supplies after hydrants ran dry last week when the two largest fires erupted.
There have been more than a dozen wildfires in Southern California since January 1, mostly in the greater Los Angeles area.
Meanwhile, a new brush fire broke out on Monday evening in Ventura County, to the north of LA.
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The Auto fire prompted evacuation orders in the city of Oxnard.
The US National Weather Service said it had recorded winds of up to 67mph in the region on Monday.
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What caused the LA wildfires?
by Juliana Cruz Lima, Foreign News Reporter
THE devastating Palisades Fire, which has ravaged Los Angeles and claimed at least eight lives, is believed to have been reignited from scorch marks left by an earlier blaze that may have been sparked by New Year’s Eve fireworks.
According to an investigation by The Washington Post, remnants of the earlier fire, which burned in the Temescal Ridge area of the Santa Monica Mountains, could have been rekindled by strong winds six days later, setting the stage for one of California’s most destructive wildfires.
Satellite imagery and other data suggest the Palisades Fire began in the same area as the New Year’s Eve fire, which had been contained after burning four acres.
While the initial blaze was controlled in a few hours, the high winds and severe drought conditions leading up to the second fire created a perfect storm for reignition.
Michael Gollner, a fire scientist at the University of California, Berkeley, explained: “We know that fires rekindle and transition from smoldering to flaming.
"It’s certainly possible that something from that previous fire, within a week, had rekindled and caused the ignition.”
Nearby residents expressed frustration over what they described as a slower response time to the second fire.
Michael Valentine, who witnessed the start of both blazes, noted a stark difference.
“The first time around, the response was swift and impressive. The second, though, was slower and hindered by the high winds,” he said.
Valentine reported that when he and his wife called the Los Angeles Fire Department to report the Palisades Fire, the line was busy, and resources were delayed as crews responded to emergencies elsewhere in the city.
A helicopter attempting to deliver water early on was unable to operate due to the dangerous winds.
Valentine estimated it took 45 minutes before he saw any firefighting efforts, by which time the fire was spreading rapidly.
The delay led Valentine to take matters into his own hands, wetting down homes in his neighborhood and sustaining burns and injuries in the process.
Adding to the tragedy, local residents have pointed to the dangers of fireworks during drought conditions.
A nearby hiker, Darrin Hurrwitz, reported smelling smoke near the origin point an hour before the fire broke out but dismissed it when the scent disappeared.
Another resident blamed the New Year’s Eve revelers, saying: “You got to know better. It’s dry. There’s no precipitation… Then the Santa Anas came on Monday, and that’s what reignited the fire.”
While it remains uncertain whether the New Year’s Eve fire directly caused the Palisades Fire, both state and federal investigators continue to examine the burn scar area for clues.
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