What started as a wildland fire quickly catalyzed into a widespread urban wildfire in Los Angeles on Jan. 7. In the wake of the tragedy, researchers are understanding more about just what fueled the conflagration.
A new report from the Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety outlines the timeline of both the Palisades and Eaton fires. Institute researchers also entered the community in the days following the destruction and uncovered what types of homes were worst-hit by the fires, and which were more fire resistant.
The Palisades Fire ignited near Skull Rock in the Summit neighborhood at 10:30 a.m., when gusts were reaching up to 60 mph, relative humidity was falling, and severe Santa Ana winds created a highly volatile environment for rapid fire spread. The fire quickly spread downhill and eastward, spreading 771 acres in 4 hours, 2,920 acres in 8 hours, and 15,832 acres in nearly 27 hours, which accounted for 70% of the fire’s total growth, despite it going on to burn for 43 more days. The Palisades Fire was fully contained on February 20 after burning over 23,000 acres, destroying 6,833 structures, and claiming 12 lives.
The Eaton Fire ignited in the Eaton Canyon area of the San Gabriel Mountains at around 6:20 p.m., around eight hours after the Palisades Fire began. At that time, peak gusts surpassed 60 mph, sustained winds exceeded 40 mph, and relative humidity had dropped to around 10%, creating extreme fire weather conditions. Just 16 hours after igniting, the fire had grown to over 10,000 acres. Although the fire continued burning for 42 more days, its initial 24-hour growth of over 13,600 acres would be 96% of its final size. The fire was fully contained on Feb. 20 after burning over 14,000 acres, destroying 9,418 structures, and claiming 17 lives.
Flames from burning tightly spaced buildings only worsened the fires’ spread, according to the report. Each home ignition generated short-range and ground-traveling embers, further amplifying the fire, specifically in downtown Altadena and Pacific Palisades. Fire-resistant building materials, however, reduced damage severity and interrupted the chain of conflagration.
Click here to read the full report.
Natural Hazards Research Australia is holding a public webinar on the report at 11:30 a.m. AEST on April 16 (9:30 p.m. ET on April 15). Click here to register.
