As four fires grew in Southern California, new satellite images show their scale and the amount of smoke pouring east.
The Line, Bridge, Airport and Roblar fires, all of which began in the past week, were responsible for the flames.
Each fire burns within 100 miles of Los Angeles. Reports detail over a dozen injuries and damage to homes.
The image below from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration shows the change in smoke from Tuesday, Sept. 10 to Wednesday, Sept. 11.
On the left — the earlier image — the smoke is more concentrated around the fires. On the right — the more recent image — the smoke careens eastward toward Nevada and Arizona.
The Bridge fire, the largest of the four, was nearing 50,000 acres in size Wednesday afternoon, and was 0% contained. It began Sunday.
The video below from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows an animated look at the fires on Sept. 11.
Video from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s GOES-West satellite shows smoke from wildfires Wednesday.
(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)
The smoke plume from the fires can be seen extending north and east from Southern California into neighboring states.
The Line fire, around 35,000 acres in size, began Thursday and was 14% contained Wednesday afternoon.
In the posts embedded below, an expert labels the fires and attaches further visuals.
The video below overlays nearby cities, including Riverside, San Bernardino, Victorville and Palm Springs.
The Airport fire began Monday and had burned over 22,000 acres as of Wednesday afternoon. It was 0%contained.
Though the danger of fire season is upon us, experts say it will likely get worse.
The impending arrival of hot Santa Ana winds — combined with two years of overgrown vegetation — all but ensure that this fall will be fraught with danger.
Fires in Southern California
(Los Angeles Times)
“The odds definitely favor a continuation — and maybe even an escalation — of Southern California fire season over the next couple of months,” said Daniel Swain, a climate scientist with UCLA.
Times staff writer Hayley Smith contributed to this report.
