southern California:
A lull in winds could give crews an advantage.
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 firerelated 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.
The Woolsey fire is expected to transition from being wind-driven to terrain-and 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 dropped to around 15 to 25 mph early Thursday. Officials said 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,” meteorologist Rich Thompson said.
Anthony said firefighters will continue to build containment lines around the fire and extinguish hot spots in an effort to prevent spot fires like the one that broke out in the Santa Monica Mountains on Tuesday.
On Wednesday, about 50 people gathered at a town hall meeting in Thousand Oaks. Ventura County Fire Chief Mark Lorenzen asked the crowd how many had lost homes. A third of the hands went up. About half of the room knew someone whose home had been destroyed.
In Ventura County, 95 structures were lost to fire. Lorenzen emphasized that despite the damage, many homes had been saved.
Also Thursday, firefighters battled a new wildfire near the Ventura County city of Santa Paula, the Associated Press reported. The new blaze is estimated at between 75 and 100 acres.