Fierce California winds provide no relief from deadly fires

Updated Sunday, November 11, 2018, 2 p.m. ET

The weather is giving Californians no respite Sunday from wildfires have killed at least 23 people and forced more than 250,000 people to flee their homes.

Governor Jerry Brown formally requested President Donald Trump to release new federal aid in a "major disaster declaration'' that will help the state combat the most destructive wildfires in its history. His request came as California was swept again Sunday by dry steady winds that can rapidly spread fires and cause them to burst out of control.

Request for emergency federal funding

"We're putting everything we've got into the fight against these fires, and this request ensures communities on the front lines get additional federal aid," Brown said in a written statement. The major blazes are north of San Francisco and near Los Angeles.

The request for emergency funding to support housing, crisis management and infrastructure recovery efforts comes a day after Trump threatened to withhold federal payments to California. Initially, he'd threatened to withhold money because of what he called "gross mismanagement of the forests." His later tweets were more measured, saying that "our hearts are with those fighting the fires."

8,000 firefighters on the scene

The blazes have spread to more than 196,000 acres and threaten to destroy tens of thousands of structures according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. About 50,000 homes and businesses have lost power, and 8,000 local, state and federal firefighters are on the scene.

Authorities are investigating electrical equipment as one of several possible causes of the Camp blaze, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said. Utility PG&E Corp. is still struggling to cope with losses from last year's deadly fires that could cost it as much as $17.3 billion in liabilities, according to a JPMorgan Chase & Co. estimate.

Elevated risks

Almost half of California faces an elevated risk for fires, with some 15.5 million people living in critical areas that include Los Angeles and San Jose, according to Brian Squitieri, a fire-weather forecaster at the U.S. Climate Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The danger areas include Malibu, the coastal enclave of the rich and famous.

The so-called Camp Fire has now destroyed more structures than any other wildfire in state history, according to data compiled by Cal Fire. In Southern California, the Woolsey blaze had consumed 83,275 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties by early Sunday and was only 10% contained. Winds are causing that blaze to spread, a situation that will continue through Tuesday, Los Angeles County Sheriff Department Chief John Benedict said Sunday.

The worst situation is forecast for an area around Santa Ana, Riverside, Anaheim and San Bernardino, where winds will channel through the terrain reaching upwards of 30 miles (48 kilometers) per hour, the climate center said. That will put almost 8 million people in "a volatile environment for wildfire potential."

While the weather in many areas could improve Monday, conditions in Southern California and parts of the Sacramento Valley will remain extreme.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump More than 4,000 are fighting the Camp and Woolsey Fires in California that have burned over 170,000 acres. Our hearts are with those fighting the fires, the 52,000 who have evacuated, and the families of the 11 who have died. The destruction is catastrophic. God Bless them all. Sent via Twitter for iPhone.

On Sunday, Trump tweeted again to encourage "proper" management to "stop the devastation constantly going on in California."

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump With proper Forest Management, we can stop the devastation constantly going on in California. Get Smart! Sent via Twitter for iPhone.

PG&E power lines

A PG&E transmission line in the area went offline 15 minutes before the Camp blaze was first reported, the company said in a regulatory filing. The company also reported finding a damaged transmission tower near where investigators say the fire began. And firefighter radio transmissions reviewed by the San Jose Mercury News included calls about downed power lines.

State investigators linked equipment owned by PG&E to 17 fires that burned in the state last year. Shares of PG&E, which provides electricity in Northern California, fell more than 16% on Nov. 9, the most since 2002. Edison International, which serves much of the southern part of the state, dropped 12%.

Edison's Southern California Edison utility said late Friday that it had a power outage near the vicinity of the suspected starting point for the so-called Woolsey fire, according to a regulatory filing. The utility said that a sensor detected a disturbance in its equipment two minutes before the fire was first reported, according to the filing. Southern California Edison said there had been no determination of origin or cause of the wildfires and the utility will cooperate with the investigation, according to a statement issued late Friday.

Southern California

In Southern California, the Hill fire has torched about 4,500 acres in Ventura County, but has been contained up to 70%.

Malibu — which has been home to Hollywood stars including Tom Hanks and Dustin Hoffman — was evacuated after flames swept south across the Santa Monica Mountains toward the sea.

Meanwhile, decreasing winds in Northern California are lowering the risk that a fire burning near Chico, which has already torched about 110,000 acres, will continue to spread. Still, the blaze forced 52,000 residents to evacuate from several nearby towns.

For more coverage like this, explore our wildfires & their destruction Instant Insights page.

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Updated Saturday, November 10, 2018, 6:30 pm ET

Wildfires north of San Francisco and near Los Angeles have killed at least 11 people, caused record destruction and forced the evacuation of more than 250,000 people, including in Malibu, the coastal enclave of the rich and famous.

The fires have grown to more than 170,000 acres overall and threaten to destroy tens of thousands of structures, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. About 50,000 homes and businesses have lost power.

At least nine people were killed in the northern fire and two deaths in Malibu in the south are under investigation, according to local officials.

The so-called Camp Fire in Northern California has now destroyed more structures than any other wildfire in state history, according to data compiled by Cal Fire.

Extreme wind forecast for Sunday

And it may get worse. Extreme wind conditions are forecast Sunday for a 2,510-square-mile area including Oxnard, Burbank and Simi Valley, where about 2.5 million people live, according to the U.S. Storm Prediction Center in Norman, Oklahoma. The situation is forecast to be critical in a wider area, including Los Angeles and Anaheim, that has a population of more than 20 million.

President Trump, in Paris to celebrate the end of World War I, attributed the spread of the flames to what he called gross mismanagement of the forests.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump There is no reason for these massive, deadly and costly forest fires in California except that forest management is so poor. Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments! Sent via Twitter for iPhone.

Investigating electrical equipment

Authorities are investigating electrical equipment as one of several possible causes of the Camp blaze, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northeast of San Francisco, Cal Fire spokesman Scott McLean said. A PG&E transmission line in the area went offline 15 minutes before the blaze was first reported, the company said in a regulatory filing.

PG&E also reported finding a damaged transmission tower near where investigators say the fire began. And firefighter radio transmissions reviewed by the San Jose Mercury News included calls about downed power lines.

State investigators linked equipment owned by PG&E to 17 fires that burned in the state last year. Shares of PG&E, which provides electricity in Northern California, fell more than 16%, the most since 2002. Edison International, which serves much of the southern part of the state, dropped 12%.

Southern California Edison said there had been no determination of origin or cause of the wildfires and the utility will cooperate with the investigation, according to a statement issued late Friday.

At least 50 homes lost in Ventura County

In Southern California, the Woolsey blaze doubled overnight, having consumed 70,000 acres in Ventura and Los Angeles counties, according to Cal Fire. The Hill fire has torched about 4,500 acres in Ventura County.

Two fatalities that occurred in the fire areas are under investigation, Los Angeles County Sheriff John Benedict said during a press conference Saturday morning. At least 50 homes were lost in Ventura County, according to the sheriff's office.

"Last night was a tough night. Mother Nature has given us a little reprieve today. It's given us some opportunities," Mark Lorenzen, Ventura County fire chief, said Saturday.

Malibu — which has been home to Hollywood stars including Tom Hanks and Dustin Hoffman — was evacuated after flames swept south across the Santa Monica Mountains toward the sea.

The Ventura blazes erupted days after a gunman opened fire in a crowded country music bar in the county, killing 12. "Many of our first responders haven't slept," Ventura County Supervisor Linda Parks said during a news conference in Thousand Oaks, where the shooting took place. "We are still reeling, but we are also very resilient."

Meanwhile, decreasing winds in Northern California are lowering the risk that a fire burning near Chico, which has already torched about 100,000 acres, will continue to spread. Still, the blaze forced 52,000 residents to evacuate from several nearby towns.

Unhealthy air quality

Smoke from that fire stretched into San Francisco, prompting warnings from officials about outdoor activities and closing schools in parts of the Bay Area region. The air quality index in the area was forecast to be an unhealthy 124 Friday, worse than notoriously smoggy Beijing.

PG&E is still struggling to cope with losses from last year's deadly fires that could cost it as much as $17.3 billion in liabilities, according to a JPMorgan Chase & Co. estimate. Investors are waiting on the state's investigation into the Tubbs fire, the deadliest of the 2017 wine country fires.

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Friday, November 9, 2018

Malibu evacuated as fire jumps 101 freeway near Los Angeles

California officials ordered an evacuation of the city of Malibu, an enclave for the area's rich and famous, and told drivers to avoid a major freeway as a wildfire spread north of Los Angeles.

The so-called Woolsey Fire has already destroyed several homes and threatens more in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the U.S. The 101 freeway, a major artery for commuters, was ordered closed in both directions at Liberty Canyon.

VCFD PIO @VCFD_PIO Fire has jumped the 101 freeway at Liberty Canyon and is well established on the south side of the freeway.Avoid 101 of commuting, large back-ups behind closure. Sent via Twitter for Android.

Evacuations centers in Camarillo & Thousand Oaks

Authorities have created evacuation centers in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, the site of a mass shooting earlier this week. Residents with large animals were being asked to take them to Zuma Beach.

About 75,000 homes in Ventura and Los Angeles counties were under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The fire has consumed 8,000 acres and isn't yet even partly contained, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Northern California flames fueled by 65 mph gusts

A wildfire raging in Northern California's Sierra Nevada foothills quadrupled in size late Thursday and another day of dry winds threatens to make it spread even farther, faster.

The blaze near the community of Chico has left more than 23,000 homes and businesses without power, according to PG&E Corp.'s website. Residents in several towns were evacuated. The National Weather Service warns flames will spread rapidly as high pressure across the region has parched the air and fueled gusts of up to 65 miles per hour.

As of 8 p.m. Thursday, the foothills fire had grown to 20,000 acres up from 5,000 earlier in the day. Two fires have broken out in Ventura County, just north of Los Angeles, consuming about 12,000 acres, and causing residents there to flee the flames.