The fire broke out late Monday in a dry riverbed in Oxnard, about 89 kilometers northwest of Los Angeles.
A new fire broke out in the Californian city of Oxnard, located in Ventura County, near Los Angeles.
The fire started in a dry riverbed late Monday night, and flames continue to burn in agricultural areas of the county.
Firefighters are intensifying their efforts to contain the flames around Los Angeles, as forecasts predict the arrival of powerful winds over the next 24 hours.
“Particularly dangerous” conditions on Tuesday
According to the National Weather Service, winds are expected to strengthen from the start of Tuesday and continue until midday Wednesday.
The service warned that weather conditions would be “particularly dangerous” Tuesday, with wind gusts reaching 105 km/h.
While the winds are not expected to reach hurricane force like last week, they could nevertheless grounding firefighting planes, fears Los Angeles County fire chiefAnthony Marrone.
Planes sprayed homes and hillsides with bright pink fire-retardant chemicals on Monday, while fire crews and vehicles were placed near particularly vulnerable spots where vegetation is dry and scrubby.
Fire officials have advised residents of high-risk areas to leave their homesrather than waiting for official evacuation orders, if they sense danger.
Ready to face a new threat
Dozens of water trucks arrived to replenish fire hydrants that ran dry last week when the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires broke out.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other officials, who have been criticized for their initial response to the fires, said Monday that the region was prepared to face the new threat, thanks to the arrival of additional firefighters from across the United States, as well as Canada and Mexico.
“We are absolutely better prepared”Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said when asked what would change from last week, when hurricane-force winds fueled numerous fires in several areas. who had not seen rain for over eight months.
Since January 1, more than ten fires broke out in Southern California, mainly in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.
The two largest fires in the Los Angeles area have destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.
The Eaton fire near Pasadena is about a third contained, while the larger Pacific Palisades fire on the coast is still out of control.
Much of Southern California around Los Angeles is under extreme fire danger alert through Wednesday, including densely populated Thousand Oaks, Northridge and Simi Valley.
Video editor • Abby Chitty
