California is just too dry. The devastating fires ripping through Los Angeles are fueled by unusual weather conditions that the National Weather Service called “about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather.” And driving that worst-case scenario is a rapidly warming planet, write Chelsea Harvey and Ariel Wittenberg. The fires have burned down entire neighborhoods, killed at least five people and forced the evacuation of more than 175,000 residents. Dangerous air quality has forced the closure of some 100 schools, while 911 calls are skyrocketing across the city. This time of year is usually the region’s wettest, making such winter blazes rare. Since 1953, the state has received federal aid for 289 fires, with just two of those occurring in January. But winter wildfires could become increasingly common, as California’s wet season shrinks and hotter, drier weather creeps into the winter months. The convergence of those and other climate factors helped this week’s wildfires spark and spread. Last winter saw abnormally wet conditions, which spurred the growth of more vegetation. The last six months of unusually dry weather, however, have turned all that growth into dangerous tinder that caught fire. The region’s strong Santa Ana winter winds whipped that fire across the Los Angeles region at breakneck speed. And because wildly destructive fires are unusual this early in the year, the Los Angeles County fire department was left unprepared. The city called in firefighting crews from Arizona, Washington state and elsewhere to help fight the blazes, some of which have yet to be contained. The damage is already profound. During a news conference this morning, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley called the fire “one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles." The financial damages are estimated at $52 billion to $57 billion and could continue to rise as fierce winds put thousands more homes at risk. That could finally break California’s unstable insurance market, write Blanca Begert, Camille von Kaenel, Thomas Frank and Zack Colman. Private insurance companies have for years been dropping California policies left and right in high-risk areas. That has driven people to the state’s insurer of last resort. But the FAIR Plan, as it's known, could run out of money to pay its claims — though a spokesperson predicted that it would be able to pay out. While a run on cash might not lead to bankruptcy, it would force the plan to recoup costs from primary insurers, which would send rates skyrocketing across the state. “It’s obviously going to be bad,” said Rep. Brad Sherman, the Democrat who represents a neighborhood engulfed by the Palisades Fire.
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