Forest Fire | Photo by Zack Frank | Shutterstock
During the past few weeks, wildfires have raged throughout the Los Angeles area. This perfect storm of circumstances has been causing damage and fatalities.
What is happening?
Wildfires broke out on Tuesday, Jan. 7 in the Palisades area of Los Angeles (LA) county, causing damage to the area. This fire has now spread to several different parts of the LA, Ventura and San Bernardino region.
In total, there are approximately five separate fire incidents in connection to the initial Palisades fire. Over 40,000 acres of land has been burned, and over 12,000 structures have been destroyed. The Eaton Fire (one of the five fires sparked from the initial Palisades fire) is considered one of the worst fires in the state’s history, claiming the lives of 24 people.
What causes California wildfires?
There is not a known cause at the moment as to why the fire started, but according to CAL FIRE, a state organization that deals with frequent wildfires, there are many things that can cause a fire due to California’s naturally dry climate. It is also naturally very hot in California, so it is really easy for fires to start up naturally…