How L.A. is Facing 'Explosive' and Uncontrollable Wildfire Spread in Days After Blazes Kill at Least 24 — With Infernos Now Threatening A-List Hubs Brentwood and The Valley
Los Angeles is bracing itself for more 'explosive fire growth' as strong winds are expected to fan out-of-control flames to new areas.
Jan. 13 2025, Published 7:57 a.m. ET
Los Angeles is set to face "explosive fire growth" as brutal wildfires wreak continue to wreak havoc across the city,
RadarOnline.com can reveal the threat of high winds could bring more devastation in the coming days, as firefighters continue to fight the infernos which have decimated several regions of California.
Strong winds are expected to affect most of the coastal areas but could reach up to 70mph in the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura.
Dangerous 50 to 65mph gusts could fan the out-of-control flames towards the Hollywood hub of Brentwood or even the iconic San Fernando Valley, it has been feared.
Brentwood — one of the region's most sought after areas — ordered its residents to evacuate immediately on Sunday as the threat grows.
Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, made a chilling prediction about how the fires could only worsen.
He said: "There will be the potential for explosive fire growth as those winds pick back up."
The winds were expected to cause carnage late on Sunday night into Monday — and could continue right through to Wednesday.
L.A.'s National Weather Service issued a rare Red Flag warning on Sunday – highlighting three 'particularly dangerous situation' (PDS) areas.
L.A.'s National Weather Service issued a rare Red Flag warning on Sunday — highlighting three "particularly dangerous situation" (PDS) areas.
They covered huge swathes of a California map including the San Fernando Valley and the Western Santa Monicas – just a stone's throw from Brentwood.
Some 50mph winds are expected to affect most of the coastal areas but could reach up to 70mph in the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura.
Strong gales pose a threat because they fan the flames, shift the direction of the blaze or even create new fires because of flying embers.
It comes as 24 people have been killed so far in the horror fires.
The unpredictable weather is expected to push existing deadly fires into a southward and westward angle.
Another 16 are still missing with officials fearing the death toll could soon rise again.
This unpredictable weather is expected to push the existing deadly fires at a southward and westward angle.
Some of the blazes — the Eaton and Hurst fires — are north and east of Brentwood and the San Fernando Valley.
Brentwood is known for its celebrity residents.
Stars including Lebron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Kamala Harris, Jennifer Garner and politician Robert F. Kennedy Jr all have homes in the area.
California Fire official Todd Hopkins warned Brentwood is at a high risk along with the San Fernando Valley due to how fast the blazes have spread across the Mandeville Canyon in recent days.
Three wildfires remain uncontained and are still spreading in Hurst, Palisades and Eaton.
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The San Vernando Valley, known locally as "The Valley", is home to all the iconic filming studios of Hollywood including Warner Bros, Walt Disney and Universal Studios.
It also includes Calabasas — another star-studded enclave which the Kardashians call home.
They are among many other celebs to have fled their mansions amid warnings from officials.
Deanne Criswell, head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), said: "The winds are potentially getting dangerous and strong again.
"The biggest thing that people need to know is that this is still dangerous."
Three wildfires remain uncontained and are still spreading in the areas of Hurst, Palisades and Eaton.
The largest two remain as the Palisades and now Eaton.
They cover a combined 38,000 acres and have only been contained 11% and 27% respectively.
