UCLA
The wind-whipped Mountain fire in Southern California burned thousands of acres Wednesday, including a still-unknown number of homes in Ventura County.
It's the disturbing but expected result of factors like climate change and dangerously dry Santa Ana winds, says UCLA climate scientist Alex Hall, director of UCLA's Center for Climate Science:
- "The Mountain fire is another sobering reminder that when you combine our natural chaparral landscapes and strong Santa Ana winds with longer, hotter dry seasons, you have all the ingredients for these devastating events to increase in frequency, scale and speed."
- "Unfortunately, it's never a question of 'if' but rather 'when' and 'how big' when it comes to wildfires in Southern California. The impacts these fires have on people's lives and livelihoods, as well as on our ecosystem, are truly devastating."
- "Until now, much of the research around managing wildfire risk in California has focused on forested areas, but the Mountain fire once again drives home the urgent need for strategies tailored to the unique landscape, climate and communities of Southern California. We hope that our work can provide policymakers with the solutions-oriented research they need to make the best decisions to protect our communities and our environment in the face of a changing climate."
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