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1 1 (January 16, 2025)

handle is hein.crs/govesek0001 and id is 1 raw text is: Congressional Research Service Informing the legislative debate since 1914 Updated January 16, 2025 January 2025 Los Angeles County Wildfires Introduction Starting on January 7, 2025, 10 wildfires-the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, Woodley, Lidia, Sunset, Kenneth, Archer, Auto, and Little Mountain Fires-began in Los Angeles (LA) County, California, and adjacent counties (Ventura and San Bernardino Counties), affecting private, state, and other nonfederal lands and the Angeles National Forest. As of 4:00 pm EST on January 16, 2025, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) reported that over 40,000 acres have burned in these wildfires, primarily from the Palisades and Eaton Fires. In addition, the fires have destroyed over 12,000 structures and claimed the lives of at least 24 people, with hundreds of thousands of people under evacuation orders and evacuation warnings. Figure I. Location of Los Angeles County Wildfires Map as of January 10, 2025, at 1:00 pm Source: Adapted by CRS from CAL FIRE Currently Active Incidents, https://www.fire.ca.gov/. Notes: The Archer, Kenneth, Lidia, Little Mountain, Sunset, and Woodley Fires are 100% contained. All others are active. The Archer, Auto, and Little Mountain Fires started after the map was prepared, so are not shown on the map. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Forest Service (USDA Forest Service) and state and local authorities are fighting the fires under a unified command. The National Guard has been deployed. More than 1,400 firefighters responded during the fires' first day. All fire departments in LA County were drawn down by the morning of January 8, meaning no additional local personnel or resources were available. Within days, firefighters and emergency personnel arrived from 12 Tribal nations, eight states, Canada, and Mexico, plus incarcerated teams. As populations have grown in the wildland-urban interface (WUI), the risk of wildfires moving into denser, urban areas has increased. Destructive fire seasons are increasingly frequent in California, where nearly a third of homes are in the WUI. Nationally, grassland and shrubland fires such as these burned 64% of homes lost to wildfires between 1990 and 2020. Complicating Factors Several factors have complicated response efforts, primarily dangerous wind conditions. According to the National Weather Service, areas north and northwest of LA started experiencing a widespread windstorm on January 7, with 60-100 mph wind gusts. The phenomenon is known as the Santa Ana winds-dry winds that flow east to west through mountain passages in southern California, typically from September through May. These winds, in combination with low humidity, spurred extreme fire weather conditions in the area. High winds hampered firefighting efforts by helping fires spread quickly and over long distances. Embers were carried by wind over firebreaks, essentially rendering the firebreaks useless. High winds also grounded firefighting aircraft and spread heavy smoke. Emergency evacuation and response to the fires were stymied by major road closures and, in some cases, limited road access. Traffic impeded evacuations, causing many to abandon their vehicles. Firefighting has been further limited due to the strain on municipal water supplies and power loss. Fire suppression efforts quickly depleted water storage tanks, causing a loss of water pressure and drying upland fire hydrants. Domestic water deliveries continue, but ash contamination has also impacted drinking water quality. The fires currently threaten flood control systems and have burned some system facilities. This could present a future safety hazard. Wildfires can remove vegetative cover, destabilize slopes, and inhibit the ability of soils to absorb water, which can exacerbate the risk of post-fire floods and debris flows in cases of heavy rain. Federal and State jurisdction The federal government is responsible for responding to wildfires that begin on federal lands. States are generally responsible for wildfires that begin on nonfederal lands, as is the case for the Palisades Fire. The federal government supports state wildfire response efforts in several ways, including mutual aid agreements, which authorize federal and state resource sharing. The agreements allow for a coordinated interagency response that deploys resources to areas of greatest critical need (e.g., ongoing federal efforts in LA County). Response activities are coordinated regionally through 10 Geographic Area Coordination https:/crsreports.congress.gc

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