The first reported wildfire was lodged at about 10:30 a.m. PST on 7 January 2025 in the mountains near the Pacific Palisades. It quickly spread and engulfed a huge portion of the posh Los Angeles neighborhood. The wildfire affected at least 2921 acres by the evening of January 8. Several fires were also reported in different parts of Los Angeles County on January 7. These include Eaton, Bert, Sylmar, and Tamarack. An incident was also reported on Freeway in San Diego.
Over 10 thousand homes have been under threat. Mandatory evacuations have been enforced in nearby areas including Malibu and Santa Monica, as well as parts of western Los Angeles as fires ravaged through properties further due to strong winds. California Governor Gavin Newson, while on the ground in Pacific Palisades to meet with local and state fire officials, proclaimed a state of emergency to further support the communities impacted by the incident.
Strong Winds and Drought: Perfect Ingredients For the Pacific Palisades And Southern California Wildfires
Season of Santa Ana Winds
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection is still investigating the exact cause of the wildfires. However, despite the lack of more thorough data and details at the moment, the situation has been tagged and categorized as a wildfire incident.
Wildfires are often random. The most common causes of wildfires are natural. These include dry thunderstorms and lightning, dry and hot weather conditions, volcanic eruptions, and coal-seam fires. Strong winds cause small fires to spread rapidly. Some incidents are human-induced. There can also be an interplay between natural causes and human-induced ignitions.
Initial assessments of the Pacific Palisades and Southern California wildfires noted that the fires spread quickly due to strong winds and dry conditions. The strong, dry, and often hot Santa Ana winds blow through Southern California from September to March.
The Santa Ana winds originate in the high-pressure air masses over the Great Basin and upper Mojave Desert. They are dry and hot. These winds can also reach speeds of at least 100 MPH. These winds are one of the main factors in the spread of wildfires in Southern California. These wildfires often occur in combination with low humidity and dry vegetation.
Note that the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported wind gusts of up to 60 MPH on January 7. AccuWeather meteorologist Courtney Travis earlier warned on a January 6 report that strong Santa Ana winds raise the danger of fast-moving wildfires.
Southern California in Drought
Southern California has experienced negligible rain in the last eight months. A status map released by the U.S. Drought Monitor on 1 January 2025 highlights Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, and Imperial counties under moderate drought.
Moderate drought is characterized by stressed vegetation, increased water temperature, and raised wildfire risks. Note that the eastern parts of San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial counties are placed under extreme drought and exceptional drought. Both conditions are characterized by low river levels, widespread water scarcity, and extreme and excessive wildfires.
All of Southern California is officially considered to be in drought. California was in the same situation from 2020 to 2022. Situations improved in 2023 with increasing levels of rainfall. However, at the start of 2025, Southern California slips back into drought.
Drought creates favorable conditions for wildfires. It dries out vegetation and weakens trees. These make them susceptible to combustion. They also become fuel for fires to spread. The reduced moisture in the soil allows heat to penetrate deeper into the ground and ignite roots and underground fuels. Drought creates a feedback loop that enables fires to start and spread.
The exact cause and starting point of the wildfires in Southern California remain unknown. What is clear is that the combination of strong and hot Santa Ana winds and drought have created a dry environment that is for spontaneous wildfires and human-induced fires to spread.
FURTHER READINGS AND REFERENCES
- Baranski, A. 2025. “Causes of Wildfire.” Profolus. Available online
- Bilotta, R. and Rippey, B. 1 January 2025. “California, Map Released: Weds. January 1, 2025.” S. Drought Monitor. United States Drought Monitor. Available online
- California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. 7 January 2025. “Incident Update: Palisades Fire.” Incidents. California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Available online
- Governor of the State of California. 7 January 2025. “Governor Newsom Proclaims State of Emergency, Meets with First Responders in Pacific Palisades Amid Dangerous Fire Weather.” News. Governor of the State of California. Available online
- Travis, C. 6 January 2025. “Powerful Santa Ana To Threaten Dangerous, Fast-Moving Wildfires in Southern California.” AccuWeather. Available online