California Wildfire Triples in Size

Home

A huge wildfire burning since Friday in the Santa Clarita Valley area north of Los Angeles has tripled in size over the weekend to 33,172 acres, destroying at least 18 homes and leaving one man dead. More than 1,500 homes have been evacuated as 1,673 firefighters battle the Sand fire.

So far, they have managed to contain only 10 percent of the fire. Los Angeles County deputy fire chief John Tripp warned that up to 45,000 homes could be evacuated if the fire is not contained. Another wildfire has burned more than 10,000 acres near Big Sur in central California.

Extreme heat and years of ongoing drought, both linked to climate change, are increasing wildfire risk in California and 10 of the state’s 20 largest wildfires on record have all burned in the last 10 years.

News: NBC News, USA Today, LA Times, NPR, New York Times

Commentary: Discover Magazine, Tom Yulsman column, Pacific Standard, Eric Holthaus column

Background: Climate Signals

For more climate change and clean energy news, you can follow Climate Nexus on Twitter and Facebook, and sign up for daily Hot News.

EcoWatch Daily Newsletter