LOS ANGELES — As thousands of firefighters battled a series of raging wildfires across Los Angeles County, California officials warned the public that fire season should now be considered a yearlong event.
Multiple fires destroyed thousands of homes and prompted some 180,000 evacuations in January demonstrates that the so-called "fire season" is no longer just a spring and summer event, they said. They also emphasized that homeowners outside of fire-prone areas should still be prepared.
"Climate change has made fire season year-round and increased our ever-growing number of wildfires," the Los Angeles County Fire Department said in an online post. "Firefighters and residents alike are now constantly on heightened alert for the threat of wildfires."
The warning came just days after the National Interagency Fire Center released a report showing preliminary data on total acres burned in 2024 in the United States. It was 127% above the 10-year average of 55.9 million acres a year, the report said.
While Los Angeles County fire officials said firefighters are ready to respond to wildfires, they stressed that it is crucial more than ever for homeowners to step up their efforts to help reduce deaths and property damage.
"We can’t do this without your cooperation," fire officials said. "Preparation and prevention go hand-in-hand."
The notice went out even as Los Angeles fire officials said at a news conference that firefighters have had to rescue people who got trapped by the blazes because they did not heed mandatory evacuation orders.
At one point on Wednesday, six wildfires were burning at once over a 42-square-mile area of Los Angeles County.
Five fire-related deaths had previously been reported when the statement was posted.
However, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said in a press conference on Thursday afternoon that the death toll was expected to rise.
At the time, the Hurst Fire was still burning out of control in Pasadena and Altadena, two neighboring communities about 11 miles from downtown Los Angeles. Two of the biggest fires -- the Palisades Fire and the Eaton Fire -- were 0% contained.
Los Angeles County fire officials also emphasized the importance of having a "Ready! Set! Go!" action plan and re-released a video the fire department put out last year showing steps residents can take to reduce the risk of death and property destruction.
Their recommended action plan includes creating defensible space around homes by removing debris and dry vegetation up to 200 feet in diameter of houses. It also recommends clearing pine needles and leaves from roofs and gutters.
However, in addition to "Ready! Set! Go!" officials advised residents to create a personalized disaster action plan detailing evacuation routes and meeting locations.
They also urged homeowners to learn how to turn off gas lines, propane lines and electrical circuits before evacuating.
"When there's little time to react during an emergency, your personal wildfire action plan will help guide you and your family during those critical moments," Deputy Chief David Richardson Jr. of the Los Angeles County Fire Department says in the "Ready! Set! Go!" instruction video.
While fire officials believe many residents affected by the Los Angeles fires were saved by creating a disaster action plan, it remains unclear how many lives may have been spared through acts of preparedness.
Los Angeles emergency officials said the unprecedented fire conditions, including hurricane-force Santa Ana winds and drought conditions that dried out vegetation, formed a perfect storm for the fires.
"No, LA County and all 29 fire departments in our country are not prepared for this type of widespread disaster," said Chief Jim McDonnell of the Los Angeles Police Department on Thursday.
He added that there were not enough firefighters to address all the fires that were currently burning at the same time in the County of Los Angeles.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Sign Up
