According to the sheet USA Todaymany forest fires broke out in San Diego County (California) early on the morning of January 21, causing evacuation orders, school closures and power cuts to be issued. Meanwhile, officials in Los Angeles remain on high alert amid strong winds and persistent dry conditions.
Photo taken in exposure mode at the Lilac fire in San Diego, California (USA) on January 21
Fire crews responded to three small wildfires overnight in northern San Diego County. The Lilac Fire, the largest of the fires, grew to 32 hectares and triggered an evacuation order in Bonsall, a small community north of San Diego. Officials said the fire damaged two structures and forced 86 residents to evacuate. By 8 a.m. on January 21, the fire was 10% controlled.
The Pala Fire, located north of the city of Pala Mesa, has burned nearly 7 hectares of land. Officials said firefighters prevented the fire from spreading. They also issued an evacuation order but later lifted it. Another wildfire, called the Riverview fire, burned only 0.4 hectares of land before being controlled by firefighters.
Police cars stopped near the Lilac fire in San Diego on January 21
The origin of the fires is still unclear. They erupted as storm winds blew across southern California during the night and early morning, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service. A strong wind gust of up to 164 km/h was recorded in the San Diego mountains at around 10 pm on January 20.
As of the morning of January 21, there were 97,000 power outages in California, of which nearly half were in neighboring San Diego and Riverside counties.
Firefighters respond to the Friars fire in San Diego on January 21
In Los Angeles County, where fires have raged for days, firefighters have made progress in containing two deadly wildfires that have destroyed more than 15,000 structures and killed at least 27 people. The area remains under a red flag warning, leaving officials concerned that the Palisades and Eaton fires could spread or that other fires could break out.
As of the morning of January 21 (local time), the Palisades fire was 63% controlled while the Eaton fire was 89% controlled. Meteorologists predict dangerously strong winds will blow through southern California for at least two more days, according to AP.
