Lull in winds helps firefighters in SoCal
LOS ANGELES — As the battle against the Woolsey fire enters its seventh day, fire officials are optimistic that improved weather might help them get the upper hand in the devastating blaze.
The Woolsey fire has charred 98,362 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties since last week. The remains of three bodies considered fire-related deaths have been discovered, and more than 500 structures have been destroyed.
Firefighters stopped the fire’s expansion and increased containment to 57 percent overnight. The boost in containment comes as strong winds that had battered the region for three consecutive days finally diminished. It has been a welcome scenario for those on the front lines, said California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokesman Chris Anthony.
“I think we’re all hoping today will be a turning point for us in this fight,” Anthony said. “But we’re not ramping down. This is a huge fire, and there’s still a lot of containment that needs to be done.”
On Thursday, Gov. Jerry Brown toured areas devastated by the Hill and Woolsey fires.
He then met with U.S. Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke and state fire officials in Camarillo.
Zinke and Brown had toured the scene of the Camp fire that devastated Paradise in Northern California on Wednesday.
At a news conference, Zinke and Brown pledged to work together to help those recovering from the state’s fire siege.
“This is my fourth time to California, all of which have been fires,” Zinke said. “And every time I come back, I say this is the worst fire I’ve seen. Yesterday is the worst fire I’ve seen.”
“Paradise unfortunately likely will not be the same city.”
In light of the large-scale fires that have devastated California communities in recent years, Brown emphasized the importance of designing safer cities to mitigate the effects of climate change.
“There are fires and there are going to be more fires,” Brown said. “California is a rich state, but we have to take intelligent precautions with how we design our cities.”
Zinke suggested the importance of prescribed burns and removing dead trees in order to make sure fuel supplies are reduced.
Meanwhile, the Woolsey fire is expected to transition from being wind-driven to terrainand fuel-driven. Humidity hovering in the single digits means that shrubs, trees and other potential fuels are as dry as the firewood sold at hardware stores.
Northeast winds will drop to around 15 to 25 mph early Thursday but will shift around noon. A sea breeze will blow off the ocean and up the coastal canyons through the evening until a light round of northeast winds returns overnight, meteorologist Rich Thompson said.
Officials say the winds won’t be nearly as severe as the 50 mph gusts that previously fanned flames toward homes.
“Definitely a lot less wind out there today than we have seen the last several days, but it’s still very dry out there,” Thompson said.