Two new wildfires ignited Tuesday in San Diego County, forcing urgent evacuations and compounding weeks of relentless fire destruction across Southern California, the Daily Mail reported.
On Tuesday, Southern California faced an escalating wildfire crisis when the Lilac and Pala fires erupted in San Diego County within an hour, scorching nearly 100 acres in just hours.
Evacuations were ordered for several neighborhoods, and Cal Fire urged other residents to pack and prepare to leave. Dangerous winds, with gusts up to 70 mph on the coast and up to 100 mph in the mountains, fanned the flames and prompted dire warnings.
The National Weather Service described conditions as "particularly dangerous" in Los Angeles, Ventura, and San Diego counties due to low humidity and strong winds.
"The conditions are ripe for explosive fire growth should a fire start," meteorologist Andrew Rorke told The Associated Press.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, crews struggled to contain the Lilac fire, which had burned 80 acres by early Tuesday and threatened structures near Bonsall.
The Pala fire consumed about 17 acres, but firefighters halted its advance.
Through Tuesday evening, authorities issued a red-flag warning in San Diego County, signaling an elevated risk for rapid fire spread. Officials said the causes of both new fires remained unknown.
In Los Angeles County, firefighters continued battling two massive blazes that started on Jan. 7. The Palisades and Eaton fires have scorched nearly 40,000 acres together.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband, Doug Emhoff, traveled to Los Angeles on Monday after attending President Donald Trump's inauguration to meet with firefighters, volunteers, and victims of the Eaton fire in Altadena.
"We just came out to thank [firefighters], to thank the community, and just remind folks that we're all in this together," Harris said. She added that her home in Pacific Palisades remained standing.
Trump, who criticized the fire response in his inaugural address, said he will visit Los Angeles on Friday.
California Governor Gavin Newsom stressed the need for cooperation between state and federal officials.
"I look forward to President Trump's visit to Los Angeles and his mobilization of the full weight of the federal government to help our fellow Americans recover and rebuild," Newsom said in a statement.
Authorities cautioned residents against using machinery that could spark additional blazes and urged them to review evacuation plans.
"Don't do things to start another fire, so we can focus on the mitigation of the current fires," David Acuna, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, told The Associated Press.
At least 27 people have died, and more than 14,000 structures have been destroyed since the Los Angeles fires began. Officials warned that ash from existing burn zones could spread across the region as winds shift again later this week.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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