California Destructive Wildfires

The powerful dry winds and tinderbox conditions that have been fueling the continuing Los Angeles wildfire tragedy have been made worse by climate change, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said on 10th January.

At least 10 people have been reported killed and more than 10,000 buildings have burned to the ground since the Californian fires broke out and spread, propelled by a well-known weather pattern called the Santa Ana Winds – “high winds from the mountains that cause temperatures to rise and very low humidity, drying out the ground and vegetation,” WMO said.

Adding to the potential for disaster, the UN weather agency also pointed out that although last year’s rainy season for the Los Angeles area was reportedly above normal, “from late 2024 until now, it has been below normal”, which explains why vegetation is so dry.