Meteorologists warns of dangerous winds affecting Southern California

(MENAFN) Meteorologists have warned that the dangerous winds affecting Southern California will persist for at least two more days, while new fires erupted on Tuesday. Major wildfires in the Los Angeles area, already burning for the third consecutive week, continue to pose a significant threat. Officials are also preparing for the possibility of toxic ash runoff if rainfall occurs over the weekend, as burned neighborhoods remain at risk. While winds slightly eased on Tuesday afternoon, with speeds reaching 96 kilometers per hour in some areas, stormy weather is expected to return on Wednesday, according to meteorologist Ryan Keitel from the National Weather Service in Los Angeles.

"If a fire breaks out, it could spread very quickly," Keitel cautioned. Red Flag warnings, which indicate extreme fire danger, have been extended until Thursday evening for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. David Acuna, a spokesperson for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, explained that fire trucks and water-dropping aircraft positioned throughout the region helped contain several small fires that broke out in Los Angeles and San Diego counties.

The devastating wildfires that have ravaged California, particularly in Los Angeles County, are the largest in the state in 40 years, causing an estimated economic loss of $275 billion. According to the University of Wisconsin's Sylvis Laboratory, the destruction in the Palisades and Eaton areas is the worst since the mid-1980s, driven by strong Pacific winds. The Palisades and Eaton fires alone have consumed around 10.36 square kilometers of densely populated areas, more than twice the area destroyed by the Woolsey fire in 2018. At least 25 people have died as a result of the wildfires that began on January 7 in Pacific Palisades and spread rapidly to surrounding areas, including Eaton, Hearst, Sunset, and Woodley, according to the latest official count.

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