Los Angeles Fires: Climate Change, Not Endangered Species Protection, a Major Factor

The wildfires affecting the Los Angeles area have raised state and national concerns due to their rapid spread and intensity, driven by extreme weather conditions and prolonged droughts. Amid this crisis, President-elect Donald Trump has blamed California Gov. Gavin Newsom for what he claims is mismanagement in containing the fires.

In a post on the social media platform, Truth Social, Trump labeled Newsom “incompetent” and accused him of blocking water supplies to the southern part of the state to protect an endangered fish.

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way,” Trump wrote.

Newsom’s office issued a rebuttal. “There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction,” said Izzy Gardon, Newsom’s communications director, in a written statement. “The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.”

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta: A key water source, but not a solution for wildfires

The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta is a vital hub for California’s water supply. This vast network of wetlands and waterways connects the Sacramento and San Joaquin Rivers to the San Francisco Bay, channeling water from the state’s north to the south. It is crucial for agriculture, urban consumption, and the preservation of fragile ecosystems.

Delta management has been a contentious issue, particularly regarding the protection of the Delta smelt, a small, endemic fish whose drastic decline has placed it on the endangered species list. Its plight highlights the challenges of balancing human needs with environmental conservation.

Trump suggested that water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta in northern California could be used to combat wildfires in Los Angeles. However, most of the city’s water does not come from this region. Los Angeles relies primarily on the Los Angeles Aqueduct, built in 1913, which transports water from the Owens Valley, east of the Sierra Nevada.

Los Angeles wildfires: A climate-driven phenomenon

Kaitlyn Trudeau, senior climate science researcher at Climate Central, told Yale Climate Connections that the Los Angeles wildfires are driven by extreme weather.

“Recent wildfires in California have been driven by a combination of natural and human-induced factors,” Trudeau said by email. Prolonged drought conditions, exacerbated by climate change, have left vegetation dry and highly flammable.”

These conditions, intensified by climate change, create an environment where fires spread quickly and unpredictably.

Wildfires in California have increased significantly in recent decades, a trend experts attribute to climate change. Between 1971 and 1995, the average annual burned area was 361 square kilometers. Since 1996, this figure has quintupled to 1,710 square kilometers annually.

California has experienced an increase of about 1.5°C in its average temperature since the Industrial Revolution, when people began generating heat-trapping pollution in large quantities, primarily through the burning of fossil fuels.

Trudeau highlighted the role of Santa Ana winds, characteristic of Southern California, in intensifying wildfires.

“Strong winds can fan flames, creating new fire outbreaks,” she explained.

This week, a severe Santa Ana wind event fueled fires in the Los Angeles area. On Wednesday, January 8, at least 32 weather stations recorded wind gusts exceeding 70 mph (112 km/h), including a peak gust of 100 mph (161 km/h) at Mt. Lukens Truck Trail, about 20 miles north of the city.

Mark Gold, Natural Resources Defense Council’s director of water scarcity and a board member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, called it irresponsible to link Bay-Delta management to the devastating wildfires. He said that the Metropolitan Water District currently has the largest amount of stored water in its history. The true cause of the fires lies not in a lack of water from the north but in the ongoing and devastating impacts of climate change, he added.

Climate change as a catalyst

“Climate change is significantly intensifying the conditions that contribute to wildfires and increasing the frequency of fire weather days across California,” Trudeau said.

She explained that higher temperatures dry out soil and vegetation, leaving more fuel for fires. She also noted that intense heat waves not only dry out vegetation but also weaken trees, making them vulnerable to disease and pests.

Additionally, warmer springs and delayed autumns have extended the high-risk period for wildfires, creating nearly year-round fire seasons in some areas.

What’s needed for the future?

Amid political criticism of state management, experts like Trudeau emphasize the need to address wildfires at their roots through concrete measures.

“Effective land management is critical to reducing wildfire risks,” she said, highlighting practices such as controlled burns, which can limit available fuel and reduce fire intensity.

However, she cautioned that these burns require specific weather conditions – “basically the opposite of fire weather” – making implementation difficult amid the growing impact of climate change. Trudeau said that the scale of the problem in California, with millions of acres needing treatment, demands a long-term commitment and effective coordination.

She also emphasized the importance of protecting vulnerable communities with a comprehensive approach, including clear evacuation plans, multilingual alert systems, and equitable access to resources such as educational programs, housing improvements, and mental health services.

“But I think it’s important we also note that it’s going to be increasingly difficult to prepare for the future when we can no longer use the experiences of the past to guide us,” she said. “The best thing we can do to reduce the rate of change we’re confronting is to reduce carbon emissions as sharply and as fast as we can.”