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BLOG > January 2025 > Shock & Awe For SoCal As Death Toll Rises, Houses Destroyed, Fires Still Burning

Shock & Awe For SoCal As Death Toll Rises, Houses Destroyed, Fires Still Burning

Devastion And Power Outages Highlight Need For Reliable Standby Power For Emergency Services And Beyond!

Our hearts are broken for the folks of Southern California. As of Wednesday 1/15, 25 have perished, 12,300 structures have been destroyed and more than 100,000 have been forced to flee their homes as more high winds are forecast for the region.

The Palisades Fire broke out the morning of Jan. 7, and devasted 36 square miles, transforming the community into a pile of ashes. It is said to be the most destructive fire in the history of the Greater Los Angeles area.
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The Eaton Fire started in the San Gabriel Mountains, then hammered the communities of Altadena and Pasadena. The Hurst Fire was the smallest blaze near Sylmar and only burned an estimated 800 acres. All fires continue to burn.

Power outages have complicated the situation, but standby generators have aided in emergency service communications and water movement. As they put these fires out, portable power will help in recovery.

How Did These Fires Start?
Numerous individuals have been arrested for allegedly starting fires and there are two lawsuits being filed against Southern California Edison that allege the utility failed to de-energize power equipment and clear brush where a blaze sparked near Pasadena (Eaton Fire), according to NBC News.

The complaints were filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on behalf of people whose homes and personal property were destroyed. They come as investigators are continuing to determine the cause and origin of the multiple fires that began almost a week ago.

Despite no official cause, the suits contend there is evidence pointing to Southern California Edison’s inaction. The utility has stated that fire officials have not suggested its equipment played a part in the fire.

La Nina
Dry conditions and strong winds are nothing new in Southern California. About every four years, the area is proven to have a dominant weather pattern called La Nina and the opposite, El Nino. La Nina conditions in the Pacific Ocean see cooler water temperatures which means drier conditions in the West. El Nino means warm ocean temperatures which yield more storms and winter snow—wet years.

The challenging point of these weather patterns is that after a wet winter, vegetation grows, then drier conditions come along, and everything dries out. Then you get fires via arson, downed power lines, sparks from trailers or maybe even fireworks. Occasionally, a lightning strike on a hill or tree is the cause, but sadly that is less common.

With La Nina, dry regional winds called Santa Anas often blow from the Great Basin to offshore of SoCal. They blow up to 80 mph or in this case with these fires, some gusts reached 100 mph. So, conditions right now are ideal for a fire with dry brush, hurricane-like winds and a host of reasons as mentioned above.

Next, spring will slowly see rain in the affected fire areas and with no vegetation left, we will then see mudslides. If you have lived in the region or know someone who does, it’s a constant struggle given the location of the homes/hills/coastline region and proximity to the ocean.Forest-(Custom).jpg

Fueling The Fire

Typically, the forest service works with local fire departments and homeowners to educate them to clear dead vegetation away from structures. Forest management was a big part of the job. Many point to budget cuts in the California budget that have cost forest management fire prevention for decades. Dead trees and undergrowth are left in place vs cleared for the most part.

Another factor that has added to fire danger in SoCal is the ongoing draught in the West and water management. SoCal is a desert, relying heavily on water from the Sierra Nevada (North) and Rockies (East) to be able to thrive.

As water headed to SoCal is cutback to help conserve an endangered baitfish, less water is available and as we’ve seen with this round of fires, some reservoirs in the affected area were dry or not being used. Not only has there been reports of no water left to fight the fires, but water pressure was also a problem.

A group of residents and businesses impacted by the Palisades Fire have filed a lawsuit against the city's Department of Water and Power, alleging that the city and the agency were unprepared for the fire, according to ABC News.

"Plaintiffs are informed and believe that the water supply system servicing areas in and around Pacific Palisades on the date of the Palisades Fire failed, and that this failure was a substantial factor in causing plaintiffs to suffer the losses alleged," the lawsuit said.

"Among other failures, the Santa Ynez Reservoir, a 117-million-gallon water storage complex that is part of the Los Angeles water supply system, was empty, leaving fire crews little to no water to fight the Palisades Fire," the complaint said.Fire-2-(Custom).jpg

Communications, Power And Recovery
Like the entire country, we are hoping these fires get extinguished fast as they are still not contained 100%. Forecasted winds this week will no doubt hamper efforts and several smaller fires continue to pop up in the region. Once the fire crews finally get a handle on these fires, then recovery and rebuilding will be the focus.

Power limitations and outages have also played a significant role. It’s a good thing emergency services utilize standby generators for communications to coordinate medical, fire and police responses.

Water utilities also use generators to pump water over hills, to homes and to help fight fires. Maybe water pressure could’ve been stronger with more power for pumping? Often fire services utilize trailer-mounted portable generators to power pumps to pull water to help fight fires.   

Our team at Generator Source plays a big role in the recovery efforts after hurricanes in the Southeast and Puerto Rico, ice storms in Texas, blizzards in the Northeast and yes, fires in the West. Our team offers tier-compliant portable and stationary standby generators.

Standby generators not only supply power to buildings and businesses when there is a power outage, but portable units play a significant role in construction and rebuilding. They also play a significant role in emergency communications systems, so fire and police still have communications to find people that need help.

Industrial gensets also aid in the movement of water for water treatment plants so you have clean, safe drinking water when the region’s power is out. Gensets help hospitals and other medical facilities stay powered to perform operations and keep patient information accessible. Commercial gensets also power hotels, data centers and cold storage facilities when power is out just to name a few more applications.
  
Our team offers worldwide sales of generators ranging from 20 kW to 4000 kW. See our full inventory here or speak with a representative by calling (866) 518-1240. Let’s hope for a speedy recovery and rebuilding.

Current Situation

  • Over 12,401 structures have been destroyed or damaged
  • More than 200,000 people have been forced to evacuate.
  • The Palisades and Eaton fires are now the most destructive wildfires in Southern California history
Palisades Fire
  • Started on January 7, 2025, near Pacific Palisades
  • Has burned over 17,234 acres as of January 9
  • Mandatory evacuations ordered along Pacific Coast Highway and surrounding areas
Eaton Fire
  • Began on January 7, 2025, in Eaton Canyon, San Gabriel Mountains
  • Has burned 14,117 acres as of January 8
  • 35% contained as of January 14
  • Evacuation orders issued for Altadena, La Cañada Flintridge, parts of Pasadena, and other nearby areas
Auto Fire
  • Ignited on January 14, 2025, in Ventura County
  • Has burned 56 acres as of early January 15
Causes and Contributing Factors
  • Official causes are still under investigation for all fires.
Factors exacerbating the fires include:
  • Extreme drought conditions
  • Low humidity
  • Hurricane-force Santa Ana winds, reaching up to 100 mph in some areas
  • Potential causes being investigated:
  • Faulty power lines
  • Arson
  • Rekindled embers from previous fires
car-fire-(Custom).jpgWeather Conditions
  • La Niña weather pattern is contributing to drier conditions in the region
  • Santa Ana winds are forecasted to continue, potentially hampering firefighting efforts
Response and Recovery
  • Over 3,400 firefighting personnel have been assigned to the Eaton Fire
  • Family assistance centers set up for people looking for loved ones
  • SoCalGas has temporarily shut off natural gas services to 16,700 customers
Economic Impact
  • Estimated cost of the fires ranges from $50 billion to $150 billion, potentially making them the costliest fires in American history 
What Role Do Standby & Backup Generators Play In A Disaster?
  • Standby generators power communication of EMS services
  • Portable generators help power recovery efforts off the grid in damaged areas
  • Generators power lift stations to help water flow over hills and out of low spots
  • Construction companies count on mobile generator trailers to power equipment in recovery zones

Brian La Rue | 1/16/2025 10:00:55 AM | 0 comments
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