Animated weather images are offering a visual representation of the environmental conditions contributing to the rapid spread of the Franklin Fire in Malibu, California.
National Weather Service (NWS) meteorologists have forecast days of extreme fire behavior amid the dry, windy weather, prompting warnings across much of Southern California.
A Los Angeles County Fire Department spokesperson told Newsweek that the Franklin Fire ignited just before 11 p.m. local time on Monday, with firefighters on the scene by 11:03 p.m. Since ignition, the flames have exploded to more than 2,700 acres.
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Evacuation Update
Evacuation orders are in place across much of Malibu, according to a map from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE). The orders extend from Kanan Dume Road to the west, Pluma Road to the north, Tuna Canyon Road to the east, and the Pacific Coast Highway to the south. Evacuation warnings extend even further.
As of Tuesday afternoon, Franklin Fire flames had surpassed 2,600 acres.
Meteorologists have warned that more fires could ignite before the Santa Ana winds die down on Thursday.
NWS meteorologist Mike Wofford told Newsweek that the winds are common for this time of year, although it’s a stronger event than usual.
Wind Gust Tracker
Animated maps from Windy.com showed the speed of wind gusts currently blowing through Southern California. Meteorologists have warned that strong Santa Ana winds will remain in the area until Thursday, contributing to the rapid spread of flames should fires ignited.
The footage showed current wind gusts up to 54 miles per hour, although the NWS office in San Diego said they received reports of wind gusts up to 70 mph on Tuesday morning.
Humidity Tracker
When coupled with strong winds, low humidity often prompts red flag warnings alerting residents of wildfire conditions.
Low humidity means little water vapor is in the air, contributing to dry conditions. Humidity is considered low once the relative humidity falls below 40 percent.
Windy.com footage showed humidity at 5 percent around the Los Angeles area.
Fire Danger Tracker
Windy.com also offers an animated fire danger tracker. Fire danger ranged from “high” to “very high” across Southern California, including in Los Angeles and San Diego, where red flag warnings are currently in place.
Drought Tracker
Drought can contribute to wildfires, given that dry vegetation provides quick fuel for fires.
Much of California has emerged from drought, which plagued nearly the entire state in 2022. However, parts of Southern California are still arid, fueling fires that ignite in the area.
Wofford said that in addition to strong winds and low humidity, the amount of moisture retained by local plants contributes to wildfire conditions.
“We’ve had little rain over the last several months, so it’s much drier than it would normally be this time of year,” Wofford said.
