
VIDEO: Eerie footage of the fires in Los Angeles from a fire department helicopter
A firefighting helicopter took pictures of the destructive path of the fire in Los Angeles, and more specifically in the famous Pacific Palisades neighborhood, the Fire Service of the American metropolis announced.
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The condition of the wider area is tragic with the fires still raging and the number of people who have lost their lives has risen to 24.
Sixteen people died in the Eaton fire and eight in the Palisades fire, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office.
At the same time, at least 16 people are missing, and rescue teams are now prioritizing clearing debris in areas where it is safe to return.
Helicopters view of devastating LA wildfires pic.twitter.com/wsC2mp3Pso
- Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 13, 2025
The fires, which are raging in the Los Angeles area, are being exacerbated by hot and dry Santa Ana winds, a meteorological phenomenon that causes severe drought.
These winds are created when cold air gathers in Nevada and Utah, two states neighboring California.
As this air mass heads west and passes the mountains of California, it warms and becomes dry.
Santa Ana winds can create conditions conducive to the outbreak of deadly wildfires or fuel them once they are already raging by drying out vegetation.
Los Angeles hit by FIRE TORNADO as wind whips up flames pic.twitter.com/xZFRGLfPuD
- Daily Mail Online (@MailOnline) January 13, 2025
These strong winds have exacerbated the fires raging in Los Angeles, the Palisades Fire (which has already burned 237.000 hectares) and the Eaton Fire (140.000 hectares) by sending sparks tens of meters away.
As firefighters continue to battle the flames, the US Weather Service is predicting "extreme fire behaviour" which, combined with winds of up to 110km/h, will cause an "extremely hazardous situation" from tomorrow (14/1) morning.
Santa Ana winds usually blow from September to May. When an anticyclone forms over the eastern California desert, it pushes air toward the Pacific coast.
Descending from the Santa Ana Mountains and the Sierra Nevada range, passing through the valleys, this air is compressed, heated and becomes dry.
Southern California has been affected by hot and dry winds for years. In 2017, the Thomas Fire was fueled by Santa Ana winds and destroyed more than 1.000 buildings.
Last week, the intensity of these winds reached their highest level since 2011, according to meteorologists who recorded gusts of up to 160 kilometers per hour. The American newspaper Washington Post compared this meteorological phenomenon to a "giant hair dryer".
The death toll from the fires in Los Angeles is growing, so far 24 victims