📊 Rising Frequency & Intensity:

  • Since 2000, California has seen a fivefold increase in annual burned area.
  • The 2020 wildfire season was the worst on record, burning over 4 million acres.
  • LA County alone has witnessed a 70% rise in fire incidents in the last decade.

🌡 Climate Change Factors:

  • Drought: 2022 marked one of the driest years, leaving vegetation highly flammable.
  • Rising Temperatures: Average summer temperatures in LA have increased by 2.3°C since 1970.
  • Stronger Winds: Santa Ana winds spread fires rapidly, making containment difficult.

Current Emergency Incidents

Ongoing emergency responses in California, including all 10+ acre wildfires

Data Sources for Wildfire Analysis
📡 Satellite Monitoring:

  • NASA’s MODIS & VIIRS detect real-time fire activity.
  • Landsat imagery helps track burn severity and vegetation loss.

🔥 Fire Incident Reports:

  • The California Department of Forestry & Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) maintains historical fire data.
  • NOAA’s Hazard Mapping System (HMS) tracks smoke movement and air quality impact.

📉 AI & Predictive Models:

  • Machine learning algorithms analyze temperature, wind speed, and vegetation dryness to predict fire risk areas.
  • Google’s wildfire tracking AI provides early warning systems based on satellite imagery.

Key Insights from Recent LA Wildfires
📌 Earlier Fire Seasons – The fire season now starts two months earlier than in the 1980s.
📌 Wildfire Spread is Accelerating – Fires in LA burn twice as fast due to prolonged drought and dry fuels.
📌 Economic Costs are Rising – Wildfire damages in California have exceeded $10 billion annually.

Conclusion
The LA wildfire crisis is a climate data problem—one that requires predictive analytics, real-time monitoring, and policy-driven solutions. By leveraging satellite data, AI models, and historical fire patterns, we can better anticipate and respond to wildfires, reducing loss of life and environmental damage.