Woolsey Fire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Woolsey Fire
Woolsey Fire evacuation from Malibu on November 9, 2018.jpg
The large smoke plume from the fire encroaching on Malibu on November 9, seen from the Pacific Coast Highway
LocationLos Angeles and VenturaCounties, California, United States
Coordinates34.2350°N 118.7013°W
Statistics[1][2]
CostUnknown
Date(s)November 8, 2018
2:24 p.m.–present (PST)
Burned area97,620 acres (39,510 ha)
CauseUnder investigation
Land useRecreational and residential
Buildings
destroyed		435
Fatalities3 civilians
Non-fatal injuries3 firefighters
Map
Woolsey Fire is located in the US
Woolsey Fire
External 3D models
 Woolsey Fire Map (2018.11.10)
- ArcGIS Esri
 Woolsey: US Wildfires
Google Crisis Response
The Woolsey Fire is a very destructive wildfire burning in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties of the U.S. state of California. The fire ignited on November 8, 2018, and has burned over 97,620 acres (39,510 hectares) of land. The fire has destroyed an estimated 435 structures,[1] killed 3 people, and prompted the evacuation of more than 265,000 people.[3]
The fire started near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in the Santa Susana Mountains above the Simi Valley near the boundary between Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The Santa Ana winds, which often are a factor for Southern California fires, pushed the fire in a southerly direction throughout the first day.[4][5] The U.S. Route 101 freeway between the San Fernando Valley and the Conejo Valley was closed as the fire crossed and headed into the rugged Santa Monica Mountains.
The fire raced through the chaparral-covered steep canyons where it encountered historic movie and TV sets, small ranches, and the homes of celebrities. Dozens of homes in Malibu were destroyed or damaged on both sides of Pacific Coast Highway. Many of these were on Point Dume that juts out from the narrow coastal terrace that lies between the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. While the firefighters successfully protected Pepperdine University to the south, the entire portion of the Malibu coast west to the community of Solromar suffered damage from the fire.

Timeline[edit]

Around 2:24 p.m. PST on November 8, 2018, a fire ignited from unknown cause(s) in Ventura County, California. Powerful Santa Ana winds, reaching 50 to 60 mph (80 to 97 km/h), caused the fire to spread rapidly and beyond firefighting capabilities. During the overnight hours into the early morning of November 9, the fire spread through Liberty Canyon in Agoura Hills and soon crossed U.S. Route 101 near Calabasas. Aerial suppression of the fire was unable to commence until 5:00 a.m. PST, November 9, when winds lessened enough.
The blaze spread rapidly throughout the day, reaching the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu by the afternoon. Pepperdine University in Malibu recommended that students shelter in place in specific buildings on campus rather than use the crowded highway to evacuate. Farther north, the flames spread to portions of Thousand Oaks, Bell Canyon, Oak Park.[6] and West Hills, CA.[7]
By the morning of November 10, 3,242 firefighters were deployed to try and contain the blaze.[1] The fire had engulfed more than 70,000 acres (28,000 hectares) of land, forcing the evacuation of an estimated 265,000 people from 75,000 homes.[3] This included an unprecedented total evacuation of Bell Canyon,[1] Malibu,[6] and Oak Park.[1]
As of November 14 at 7:00 a.m. PST, the fire was 47% contained, with full containment expected by November 18.[2]

Impacts[edit]

Satellite image of the fire on November 9. The majority of western Malibu is engulfed by smoke and fire at the time of this image, with the blaze spreading into Thousand Oaks.
The Woolsey Fire forced many of the public and private parks and trails within the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area to close indefinitely. It also caused Malibu Creek State Park and Zuma Beach to close.[8]
Two people were found dead in a vehicle on Mulholland Highway in Malibu.[9] Emergency personnel were unable to reach the victims when a report of a critical burn victim was relayed, due to downed power lines.[6][10]
At least 177 homes were destroyed by the fire.[6] Many celebrities have also lost their homes including Kim Basinger,[11] Tracey E. Bregman,[12] Gerard Butler,[13] Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth,[14] Scott Derrickson,[15] Joe Flanigan,[16] Mike Garson,[17] Camille Grammer,[18] Daryl Hannah and Neil Young,[19]Gabe Kapler,[20] Lil Pump,[21] Robin Thicke,[15] and Eric Wynalda.[22] Multiple filming locations and historical sites were directly impacted by the fire, including Paramount Ranch,[23][24] Peter Strauss Ranch,[25] the former Reagan Ranch now part of Malibu Creek State Park,[26] and the lower house of Villa De La Vina,[27] the mansion where The Bachelor and The Bachelorette are filmed.[28] The numerous drug rehabilitation centers and sober living houses in Malibu that have given rise to the nickname "Rehab Riviera" were evacuated ahead of the fire. At least two were destroyed or significantly damaged.[29]
There have been two cases of looting in Ventura County, one of which resulted in a car chase.[9]
Reporters and officials rescued animals from homes, and brought them to shelters and vets.[30] Other animals at locations such as Malibu Wines were either evacuated or cared for at the locations.[31] Local fire officials opened Zuma Beach as an evacuation point for large animals, with pictures by the Los Angeles Times, showing llamas, alpacas, and horses tied to lifeguard stations and poles.[32]

Response[edit]

On November 10, President Donald Trump blamed poor forest management by the state of California as the cause of recent wildfires in the state, including the Woolsey Fire and the concurrent Camp Fire in Northern California. In a controversial tweet,[33] he threatened to end federal assistance unless the state improves its "gross mismanagement of the forests".[34] The firemens' union disagreed with President Trump's claims, noting that California is experiencing unusually dry conditions and abnormally high fire danger.[35] Brian Rice, president of the California Professional Firefighters, described Trump's assertion about the state's forest management practices as "dangerously wrong", noting that 60 percent of California forests are directly managed by the federal government, which has reduced spending on forestry in recent years.[36]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Jump up to:a b c d e "Woolsey Fire General Information". CAL FIRE. California. November 8, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  2. ^ Jump up to:a b "Woolsey Fire Incident Update". Los Angeles County Fire Department. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  3. ^ Jump up to:a b "2 killed in Woolsey Fire as it surpasses 83,200 acres". KSBY 6. NBC. November 10, 2018. Archived from the original on November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 11,2018.
  4. Jump up^ Chandler, Jenna (November 9, 2018). "Ventura County's Woolsey Fire moving south, Malibu under evacuation". Curbed. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  5. Jump up^ Haskell, Josh (November 11, 2018). "Woolsey Fire: Forecast calls for high winds in burn area as containment increases to 10 percent". ABC7. ABC. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  6. ^ Jump up to:a b c d "Woolsey Fire Doubles To 70,000 Acres, Destroys 150+ Homes And Forces Evacuation Of 250,000". CBS Los Angeles. CBS. November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 10,2018.
  7. Jump up^ Chandler, Jenna (13 November 2018). "Residents returning home as LA wildfire scorches 96,314 acres". Curbed LA. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  8. Jump up^ Forgione, Mary (November 9, 2018). "SoCal wildfires temporarily close Santa Monica Mountains, Malibu parks and beaches". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved November 11,2018.
  9. ^ Jump up to:a b Bravo, Kristina; Fenoglio, John; Lynn, Tim; Von Quednow, Cindy (November 10, 2018). "Woolsey Fire 5 Percent Contained at 109 Square Miles; 2 Found Dead in Malibu Were 'Severely Burned'". KTLA 5. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  10. Jump up^ Ganey, Steve (November 10, 2018). "2 Dead in Malibu as Woolsey Fire Continues Destructive Path; Cause of Death Not Released". KTLA 5. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  11. Jump up^ "Ireland Baldwin Accused of Looting During Malibu Fire, Reveals Mom Kim Basinger 'Lost' Her Home". People. November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 13, 2018.
  12. Jump up^ Pasquini, Maria (11 November 2018). "Gerard Butler, Camille Grammer & More Lose Homes to California Fires as Death Toll Climbs to 23". People. Retrieved 12 November 2018.
  13. Jump up^ "Gerard Butler Shares Photo of Burned Malibu Home in Woolsey Fire". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  14. Jump up^ Rahman, Abid (12 November 2018). "Miley Cyrus' Home Burns Down in California Fires". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  15. ^ Jump up to:a b Evans, Greg; Haring, Bruce (November 10, 2018). "Martin Sheen Found Safe, But Other Celebrities Still On The Move From Fires". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved November 10,2018.
  16. Jump up^ "Joe Flanigan on Instagram: "House gone. But I am grateful for the many great years Malibu has given me and my children. Now, trying to help neighbors save their…"". Instagram. Retrieved 2018-11-13.
  17. Jump up^ @mikegarson (10 November 2018). "The fire situation in the Los Angeles area is terrible" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  18. Jump up^ "Camille Grammer: 'My House Couldn't Be Saved' From Fires". Us Weekly. November 11, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  19. Jump up^ Desai, Devika (12 November 2018). "Hollywood celebrities return to charred homes after California hellfire burns Malibu". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  20. Jump up^ Jones, Kaelen (13 November 2018). "Phillies' Kapler on CA fires: 'Keep talking about it'". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  21. Jump up^ Coleman II, C. Vernon (November 10, 2018). "Lil Pump Evacuates California Home As Wildfire Reaches His Backyard". XXL.
  22. Jump up^ "Woolsey Fire burns celebrities' homes, popular filming locations". ABC 10 News. ABC. November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  23. Jump up^ Pamer, Melissa (November 9, 2018). "Western Town at Paramount Ranch, Filming Location Since 1927, Burns in Woolsey Fire: NPS". KTLA 5. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  24. Jump up^ Deb, Sopan (November 10, 2018). "Set for 'Westworld' and Other Shows Destroyed in California Fire". The New York Times. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  25. Jump up^ Johnson, Scott (12 November 2018). "Historic Hollywood Sites Destroyed as Woolsey Fire Burns". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
  26. Jump up^ Carter, Ryan (November 10, 2018). "Western Town, Reagan Ranch, Santa Susana Field Lab: The Woolsey fire torched them, but spared other famous sites". The Orange County Register. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  27. Jump up^ Drysdale, Jennifer (November 9, 2018). "'Bachelor' Mansion Partially Destroyed by California Wildfire". Entertainment Tonight. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  28. Jump up^ Strause, Jackie (November 9, 2018). "'The Bachelor' Mansion Burning Amid California Wildfires". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  29. Jump up^ Seth Abramovitch (November 11, 2018). "Multiple Rehab Facilities Destroyed in Malibu Fires". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  30. Jump up^ "Woolsey Fire: Reporter helps burned cat get emergency care". ABC7 Chicago. November 9, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  31. Jump up^ "Good news, California: Stanley the Giraffe is OK!". ABC7 Chicago. November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 11, 2018.
  32. Jump up^ "The animals caught in wildfire destruction". BBC News. November 12, 2018. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  33. Jump up^ Zauzmer, Emily. "Miley Cyrus & Neil Young lose homes in California fires as he slams 'unfit' Trump". People. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
  34. Jump up^ Deruy, Emily (November 10, 2018). "Trump blames poor forest management for California fires, threatens to revoke funding". The Mercury News. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
  35. Jump up^ "California Wildfires Kill At Least 9 as Trump Blames the State". Rolling Stone. November 10, 2018.
  36. Jump up^ Tweet by Jose Del Real, November 10, 2018

External links[edit]