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blm

(113,932 posts)

1. Fire ecologist with US Geological Survey: the winds far outweigh the fuel in fire's spread

Reply to BumRushDaShow (Original post)

Sun Jan 12, 2025, 04:28 PM

Jan 12

The Palisades Fire started at about 10:20 a.m. Tuesday, near Temescal Ridge Trail in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

At first, it was native chaparral in the surrounding hills that burned. But the fire quickly grew to 200 acres in just 12 minutes, driven by 80 mph winds, pushing into nearby neighborhoods.

“The bottom line is the winds far outweigh the fuel in terms of fire spread in a situation like this,” said Jon Keeley, fire ecologist with the U.S. Geological Survey. “When you have these winds it makes fuels less relevant. And the fuels are definitely not relevant once it gets into the urban environment, because the primary fuels are the homes.”

https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/fact-check-could-brush-clearance-have-prevented-the-palisades-fire

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Highlight:

FEMA administrator says L.A. officials were very prepared for wildfires, but they have never seen 100-mile-an-hour winds [View all] BumRushDaShow Jan 12 OP

Fire ecologist with US Geological Survey: the winds far outweigh the fuel in fire's spread blm Jan 12 #1

I've been in front of a wildfire with 100 mph winds--2007 Harris Fire in San Diego's east county. Liberty Belle Jan 12 #2

Sounds like the FEMA guy is mistaken, then. The Mouth Jan 12 #3

She... littlemissmartypants Jan 12 #5

Thanks for the correction. The Mouth Jan 13 #10

We've never seen 100 mph winds in our beach towns. Inland desert foothills, yes. This is new. SunSeeker Jan 12 #6

Most of that forest land is federal. Do you mean that the US should prepare for this travelingthrulife Jan 13 #11

About natural disasters TexasBushwhacker Jan 12 #4

Fires can generate their own high velocity winds Deminpenn Jan 12 #7

Yes, that happened in the 2007 firestorms, where a tornado of fire was recorded in Potrero. Liberty Belle Jan 13 #12

A firefighters' nightmare, they can't even drown it. A fiery whirlwind Historic NY Jan 13 #8

LA County has more experience with wildfires pfitz59 Jan 13 #9