VENTURA, Calif. − Firefighters made progress on Monday against a wildfire that expanded over 32 square miles north of Los Angeles, damaging or obliterating nearly 250 homes, businesses, and other structures, while still continuing to smolder in difficult terrain.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported that the wildfire was 36% under control early Monday, but it still posed a risk to important infrastructure, highways, and nearby communities. Helped by favorable weather conditions, efforts to build control lines were ongoing, although the National Weather Service alerted that winds could reach 20-30 mph, with gusts rippling up to 40 mph later in the day.

The cause of the dangerous fire, which ignited on Wednesday and was fueled by winds up to 80 mph, is still being investigated. Six people have reportedly sustained injuries. Ventura County Fire Chief Dustin Gardner praised the commendable efforts of firefighters during an emotional public meeting on Sunday night.

“I am thankful that many lives were saved and there have been no fatalities reported,” Gardner stated, drawing applause from the audience. He continued: “While we have certainly faced significant destruction, thousands of homes were preserved, and many lives were rescued.”

Some evacuation orders have been lifted

Gardner mentioned that the first responders on the scene worked tirelessly for 30 hours. Within 24 hours, over 1,000 firefighters were engaged, and by Monday, nearly 3,000 firefighters from various regions were battling the flames.

While some mandatory evacuation orders remained in place on Monday, he noted that a few residents were beginning to return to their homes.

“We recognize mistakes were made, but we will learn from them,” Gardner asserted. “We can rebuild, recover, and heal.”

Farmers face loss of crops, buildings, and homes

The wildfire has resulted in an estimated $2.4 million in damage to agriculture, a figure that is likely to rise. Ventura County Agricultural Commissioner Korinne Bell reported that surveys conducted late last week indicated that avocado, citrus, and berry crops were particularly affected. Damages include both losses to crops and trees, as well as damage to infrastructure such as fences, irrigation lines, and outbuildings, she noted. The fire ignited on South Mountain, with Santa Ana winds pushing it into farmland.

Some farmers also lost their homes, according to Maureen McGuire, the CEO of the Ventura County Farm Bureau. Many of them were “working in their orchards to mitigate fire damage to their farms and structures,” McGuire explained.

Limited rainfall won’t resolve Northeast drought issues

A light drizzle across parts of the Northeast did little to alleviate the ongoing drought, which has been exacerbating wildfires and prompting fire warnings in the region where recent blazes have turned fatal. Some places received their first significant rainfall in over a month on Sunday night into Monday morning, but the fire risk is expected to persist into Tuesday and beyond, as reported by AccuWeather.

The National Weather Service in New York indicated that the majority of the tri-state area, including New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, received only 0.15-0.30 inches of rain, which, while minimal, marked the highest amount of rain since late September.

“The rain has moved east, leading to dry conditions for much of the week, with only a slight chance of rain on Thursday night,” the weather service stated.

Fire risks remain high

A series of warm days, decreasing humidity, and stronger winds were set to maintain a high risk of fires alongside dry brush and fallen leaves. The recent rain has temporarily lowered fire risks to moderate in central New Jersey, where the state had issued extreme risk warnings just days prior.

However, fires in northern New Jersey and New York remained uncontrolled, resulting in the death of one individual over the weekend. New York State Police reported that state parks worker Dariel Vasquez, 18, was killed Saturday while fighting a fire in Sterling Forest when a tree fell on him while he cleared trees and brush.

Jesse Dwyer, a supervisor in Warwick, N.Y., stated on Monday that while the fire was not contained, there had been no mandatory evacuations ordered.

“Although the rain was beneficial in slowing the fire, it wasn’t enough,” Dwyer mentioned in a Facebook update. “Let’s continue to pray for our responders and the local residents as we navigate this situation.”

A New Record for Heat This Year

This year, climate experts have predicted that 2024 is set to become the hottest year ever recorded. Now, with ten months gone by, the Copernicus Climate Change Service confirms that it is “virtually certain.” Additionally, 2024 is on track to be the first complete year where global average temperatures exceed pre-industrial levels by at least 2.7 degrees, as noted by Samantha Burgess, the deputy director of the Climate Change Service. Both world leaders and climate scientists have aimed to keep temperatures below this threshold to combat climate change.

“This signifies a significant new point in global temperature documentation and should encourage heightened commitment leading up to the upcoming Climate Change Conference, COP29,” remarked Burgess. The conference kicks off on Monday in Azerbaijan. Last year was previously recorded as the hottest year.

− Dinah Voyles Pulver