Wildfires have been raging in Los Angeles for eight days, fueled by strong, dry winds, prompting officials to urge residents to stay alert and be ready for evacuation at any moment. Around 6.5 million people remain at high risk as fires have burned an area nearly the size of Washington, DC, resulting in at least 25 deaths.
Despite forecasts of winds up to 70 mph (112 km/h), actual gusts have been between 30 to 40 mph (48 to 64 km/h), with low humidity exacerbating the situation. The fires have destroyed over 12,000 homes and structures, forcing 200,000 people to evacuate. As of Wednesday, 82,400 people were under evacuation orders, and 90,400 more were warned to be prepared.
Approximately 8,500 firefighters, including teams from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, have been working to contain the blazes. A new fire broke out on Wednesday in San Bernardino County, burning 30 acres, while two other fires in Southern California were largely contained.
Though the city had made fire preparedness efforts, some critics questioned whether enough had been done, particularly after reports suggested that fire officials did not keep enough firefighters on duty as the fires started to grow uncontrollable.
