California Wildfire

Wildfire destroys homes in Oregon, threatens thousands as heat persists

Ten structures including four homes have been destroyed by a wildfire sweeping through central Oregon, where thousands of residents remained under evacuation orders on Monday, while a blaze in Northern California wine country has so far spared some of the state's most famous vineyards. Officials said Oregon firefighters working in rugged terrain amid dry, hot weather saved hundreds of other buildings from the 34-square-mile (88-square-kilometer) Flat Fire spanning Deschutes and Jefferson counties. It was 15 per cent contained. We are deeply saddened by the loss of homes and personal property and extend our sympathy to those affected, Deschutes County Sheriff Ty Rupert said in a statement. Flames still threatened nearly 4,000 homes, fire spokesperson Gert Zoutendijk said Monday. He said crews were taking advantage of slightly cooler temperatures that dipped into the high 80s (31 C), and even some scattered rain. A little bit of rain does some good right now, but later, if the sun

Rapidly spreading brush fire forces evacuations north of Los Angeles

A brush fire in a mountainous area north of Los Angeles ignited and spread quickly on Thursday, forcing thousands of evacuations. The Canyon Fire ignited around 1.30 pm, growing to over 4.1 square kilometres in less than three hours, according to Ventura County emergency response. It remained zero per cent contained late Thursday afternoon and was spreading east, the county said. The fire is burning just south of Lake Piru, a reservoir located in the Los Padres National Forest. It is close by Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area burned by the Hughes Fire in January. That fire burned about 39 square kilometres in six hours and put 50,000 people under evacuation orders or warnings. In LA County, around 4,200 residents and 1,400 structures are under an evacuation order, and another 12,500 residents are under an evacuation warning, said spokesperson Andrew Dowd for the Venture County Fire Department. The evacuation zones in nearby Ventura County are relatively unpopulated, Dowd said

Massive California wildfire grows, becomes state's largest in 2025

Rising temperatures on Wednesday posed new challenges for firefighters who have made incremental progress against a massive wildfire in central California that has injured four people as it has become the biggest blaze in the state so far this year. More than 870 remote homes and other structures at the northern edge of Los Padres National Forest are threatened by the Gifford Fire, which grew only slightly overnight after burning out of control for days. The fire has scorched at least 339 square kilometres of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, with just 9 per cent containment. It surpassed the 326-square-kilometer Madre Fire, which erupted last month in southeastern San Luis Obispo County, as the state's largest fire of 2025. Crews working in steep, inaccessible terrain will be dealing with temperatures in the mid-90s (35 Celsius) on Wednesday and above 100 (38 Celsius) on Thursday, said Capt. Scott Safechuck with the Santa Barbara County Fire Department. We have hot weath

3 injured as California wildfire rages out of control, threatens homes

A massive wildfire on Monday was threatening hundreds of homes in central California after injuring at least three people as it tore through Los Padres National Forest. The Gifford Fire scorched more than 100 square miles (260 square km) of coastal Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, and was still burning out of control, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire. A motorist was hospitalised with burn injuries after getting out of his vehicle and being overrun by flames, said Flemming Bertelson, a spokesperson for the US Forest Service. Two contract employees assisting firefighters were also hurt when their all-terrain vehicle overturned. The blaze threatened about 450 structures and forced the closure of the highway in both directions east of Santa Maria, a city of about 110,000 people in Santa Barbara County. About 65 miles (105 kilometres) northwest of Santa Barbara and 150 miles (240 kilometres) northwest of Los Angeles, the

Exposed wires may have contributed to LA's Eaton fire, claims law firm

Robertson and experts with his firm captured the images of SCE's equipment by hiking to SCE towers along the ridge of foothills near Altadena and deploying drones earlier this month

California approves $2.5 bn for state response to Los Angeles-area fires

California bolstered funding to help the Los Angeles area recover from its recent deadly wildfires under a more than USD 2.5 billion fire relief package approved Thursday by the California Legislature. Lawmakers overwhelmingly approved the bills, which had bipartisan support, and now head to Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom's desk. The proposals include USD 2.5 billion for the state's emergency disaster response efforts such as evacuations, sheltering survivors and removing household hazardous waste. They also approved USD 4 million for local governments to streamline approvals for rebuilding homes, and USD 1 million to support school districts and help them rebuild facilities. We need to be able to move with urgency, put aside our differences and be laser-focused on delivering the financial resources, delivering the boots on the ground that are needed and the policy relief that is needed to get neighbourhoods cleaned up and communities rebuilt, said Mike McGuire, a Democrat and presid

May stop aid for LA if California doesn't change water policies: Trump

President Donald Trump on Wednesday threatened to withhold federal disaster aid for wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles unless California leaders change the state's approach on its management of water. In a Fox News interview, Trump repeated false claims that the state's fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state are responsible for fire hydrants running dry in urban areas. He says the blame for Los Angeles' struggles to tame some of the deadly fires lies with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, a political foe who has called for partnership and mutual respect as the state fights the blazes. I don't think we should give California anything until they let the water run down, Trump said. The president levelled the threat as he prepares for the first presidential trip of his second term. On Friday, he will visit Southern California in addition to western North Carolina, which is recovering after Hurricane Helene pummelled the area more than three months ago. Trump in the interview

Fire risk, strong winds continue in California with expectations of rain

Parched Southern California was forecast to face more dangerous winds on Wednesday but could get some badly needed rain this weekend, dampening the prospects of another round of killer wildfires though even a small amount of precipitation could could create new challenges like toxic ash runoff. Los Angeles officials were preparing for that prospect even as a small number of residents were allowed to return to the devastated Pacific Palisades and Altadena areas and firefighters quickly controlled small blazes that broke out. Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of the possible weekend rain, which could create mud and debris flows. This is to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic

Fire-ravaged Southern California braces for gusty winds, high wildfire risk

Southern Californians are bracing for gusty winds and a heightened risk of wildfires, less than two weeks after deadly blazes killed at least 27 people and ravaged thousands of homes. The National Weather Service has issued warning of a "particularly dangerous situation" for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning due to low humidity and damaging Santa Ana winds. Gusts could peak at 113 kmph along the coast and 161 kmph in the mountains and foothills. Windy weather and single-digit humidity are expected to linger through Thursday, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service. He said the fire risk is also elevated because the region hasn't seen rain since April. Critical fire weather with wind gusts up to 97 kmph was also forecast for other Southern California communities on Monday and Tuesday stretching to San Diego, with residents urged to take steps to get ready to evacuate such as creating an emergency kit

Los Angeles evacuees told to stay away from home at least another week

With wildfires burning for a 10th day, firefighters expressed relief over withstanding recent red flag conditions of high desert winds and low humidity without either of the two monster fires growing

Los Angeles 'Red Flag' wildfire warnings removed, but dangers persist

Some 6.5 million people remained under a critical fire threat, after the fires consumed an area nearly the size of Washington, DC, resulting in at least 25 deaths so far, authorities said

Risk of fire tornadoes rises under California's extreme wildfire conditions

As if they aren't already facing enough, firefighters in California also could encounter fire tornadoes a rare but dangerous phenomenon in which wildfires create their own weather. The National Weather Service warned Tuesday that the combination of high winds and severely dry conditions have created a particularly dangerous situation in which any new fire could explode in size. The advisory, which runs into Wednesday, didn't mention tornadoes, but meteorologist Todd Hall said they're possible given the extreme conditions. A look at fire tornados: What is a fire tornado? Fire whirl, fire devil, fire tornado or even firenado scientists, firefighters and regular folks use multiple terms to describe similar phenomena, and they don't always agree on what's what. Some say fire whirls are formed only by heat, while fire tornados involve clouds generated by the fire itself. The National Wildfire Coordinating Group's glossary of wildland fire terms doesn't include an entry for fire torna

Southern California faces new wildfire warnings as winds regain strength

Weary and anxious from a week of massive blazes burning around Los Angeles, Southern California residents faced dire new wildfire warnings and power shutoffs Tuesday while they prepared to flee at a moment's notice as fire-fuelling winds blasted across the scarred landscape. The winds, predicted to reach near hurricane-force in some areas, were expected to peak Tuesday morning before easing and then regaining strength later in the day. A beefed-up firefighting force was in place to attack flareups or new blazes. A week after the first fires began, the flames have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people. Life threatening and destructive and widespread winds are already here, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley told a news conference. Residents gathered up their pets and family photos in case they had to make a hasty escape. In other developments, nine people were charged with looting, including a group that stole an Emmy award from a house that had been evacuated,

Here's how this $9 million mansion survived California's brutal wildfires

Amid California's Malibu wildfires, a $9-million mansion survived untouched. Its owner, a retired waste executive, calls it a 'miracle'

Los Angeles area in extreme fire danger as crews battle enduring blazes

More powerful winds were expected to trigger new wildfires that could set back the recent progress made in containing blazes in the Los Angeles area that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people. Much of Los Angeles area to remain under an extreme fire danger warning through Wednesday A large portion of southwest California spanning eight counties around Los Angeles is under a red flag warning for extreme fire danger through Wednesday. Certain areas of LA and Ventura counties, including valleys, foothills and mountains throughout the Santa Monica and Santa Susana ranges, were in what the National Weather Service calls a "particularly dangerous situation". The Palisades and Eaton fires are burning on the southern side of that area, and hurricane-force winds are forecast to return on Tuesday. The weather service urges residents to "stay aware of your surroundings. Be ready to evacuate. Avoid anything that can spark a fire". Interactive maps show locations of

24 dead as fire crews try to corral LA blazes before winds return this week

Firefighters scrambled Sunday to make further progress against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed 24 people in the Los Angeles area as forecasters again warned of dangerous weather with the return of strong winds this week. At least 16 people were missing, and authorities said that number was expected to rise. The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 80 kilometres per hour and gusts in the mountains reaching 113 kilometres per hour. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson. "You're going to have really strong gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there," Thompson said at a community meeting Saturday night. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help crews fend off flames spread by ..

Los Angeles wildfires rage as dry winds likely to return this week

High winds will limit opportunities for firefighters to make progress against the fast-moving Palisades and Eaton fires, which have left at least 16 people dead and consumed more than 12,000 buildings

Families in shock begin to visit charred homes in Los Angeles area

Many watched their homes burn on television in a state of shock. Now four days since the flames erupted in and around Los Angeles, many residents have returned to their still smoldering neighbourhoods even as the threat of new fires persisted and the nation's second- largest city remained unsettled. For some it was a first look at the staggering reality of what was lost as the region grapples with the gargantuan challenge of overcoming the disaster and rebuilding. Metropolitan LA and its 13 million residents, who haven't seen rain in more than eight months, woke up Friday to another day of strong winds that later eased, enabling firefighters to start gaining some control of the biggest blazes. Bridget Berg, who was at work when she saw on TV her house in Altadena erupt in flames, came back for the first time with her family on Thursday just to make it real. Their feet crunched across the broken bits covering what had been their home for 16 years. Her kids sifted through debris on

Wildfires show need to take science seriously: Biden's climate adviser

The massive wildfires that have killed 10 people in the Los Angeles area and caused billions of dollars in property damage are the latest sign of the growing threat posed by climate change one that President-elect Donald Trump will have to take more seriously than he did in his first term, a top adviser to President Joe Biden said. John Podesta, Biden's senior adviser for international climate policy, said one of the iconic images of Trump's first term showed him tossing paper towels to people in Puerto Rico who had been been ravaged by a hurricane. Many critics called Trump's action disrespectful, especially after he disputed a death count from Hurricane Maria that reached nearly 3,000 people. You would think hopefully he would have learned from the public's reaction to that that you have to take the science seriously. You have to take the facts seriously. You have to take the threat seriously,' Podesta said in an interview with The Associated Press. As the unfolding disaster in

PM Modi podcast, L&T Chairman 90-hr-workweek, LA wildfire, Trump hush money case & more

PM Modi made his podcast debut on a YouTube show today, hosted by Zerodha co-founder Nikhil Kamath. During the two-hour conversation, he discussed his personal journey, leadership philosophies.