As emergency services in Los Angeles continue to battle wildfires which have destroyed thousands of buildings there are new warnings for California of another looming wildfire threat.

Firefighters are battling the most serious wildfire in the Los Angeles area for a generation with scientists warning that climate change is playing an increasing part. So far five people have lost their lives as new blazes begin and there are fears the death toll will increase.

Insurance broker Marsh said the area which has been hit by the current blaze has not been faced with such a threat for 45 years.

It stated: “The fast-moving Palisades Fire, driven by dangerously high-speed Santa Ana winds, posed a significant threat to homes in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles on Tuesday, leading to mass evacuation orders for approximately 30,000 residents and power shutoffs.

“Concurrently, the Eaton Fire ignited around 6:30 pm near Altadena Drive and Midwick Drive in Altadena, rapidly expanding to more than 2,200 acres and prompting further evacuations. Extreme fire behaviour, including short and long-range spotting, continues to challenge firefighting efforts.

“Wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph are expected to persist through Thursday, potentially influencing both fire activity and suppression efforts. The Hurst Fire in Sylmar is currently burning around 500 acres. These fires are all at 0% containment as of January 8.”

Marsh explained: “Since 1980, six fires have impacted the geography of the Palisades Fire, though none have encompassed the municipalities of Pacific Palisades or Brentwood. The most damaging of these was the Woolsey Fire in 2018, which resulted in the third-highest insured loss in California history, amounting to USD 5.5 billion (2024). This devastating fire led to the loss of 1,650 structures. The Woolsey Fire occurred west of Malibu, compared to the Palisades Fire, which is located to the east of Malibu.”

ICEYE has released its latest data on the wildfires. It said since Tuesday ICEYE has been actively monitoring the severe wildfires affecting the Los Angeles area.
“The Palisades fire, which is the closest to the coast and the largest of the current fires, forced evacuation orders for at least 30,000 residents of the Pacific Palisades community,” it said. “The fire has burned 11,802 acres and is 0% contained. So far, the team has analysed more than 5000 buildings in the area and observed that more than 1500 of these are likely damaged.
While the wildfires continue scientists have warned standing dead trees in Yellowstone National Park are growing wildfire hazards.

A new study has examined how these dead trees contribute to fire risk and threaten roads, buildings, and trails.

It found dead trees, particularly those that remain standing, are a significant fire hazard. These trees – often caused by pests, diseases, and climate change – create a large amount of dry, combustible material. As temperatures rise and droughts intensify, the risk of wildfires increases, making it essential to understand how dead trees contribute to fire danger.

The team used a random forest classification model, a powerful machine learning technique, to map the distribution of dead trees across Yellowstone. They combined data from the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and satellite imagery, which provided information on canopy height, vegetation cover, and tree health.

Their findings revealed that about 40% of the park is experiencing moderate to high levels of tree mortality, with areas like the central-western park hit hardest by past fires.

“Our model showed an accuracy of 76.65%, giving us a clear picture of where standing dead trees are concentrated,” said Dr. Di Yang, from Tsinghua University and co-author of the study.

By using spatial analysis, the researchers identified regions with the highest concentrations of standing dead trees. The study also showed significant clustering of these trees, especially in areas affected by past fires, which could lead to more severe future fires.

The study also assessed the vulnerability of park infrastructure by looking at how close dead tree hotspots are to roads, trails, buildings, and water sources. The researchers found that areas near park entrances and popular sites are the most vulnerable, while large, less dense clusters of dead trees in the northeast and south posed a lower risk.

The researchers hope their methods can be applied to other regions facing the same challenges, allowing for better-informed fire management strategies.