In LA, call for better land management

As Southern California coped with a new round of devastating wildfires, discussions centered on how to prevent such destruction in the future.

Evacuation orders were lifted Thursday for tens of thousands of people as firefighters with air support slowed the spread of a wildfire churning through mountains north of Los Angeles, but new blazes erupted in San Diego County.

The Hughes Fire broke out late Wednesday morning and charred nearly 16 square miles (41 square kilometers) of trees and brush near Castaic Lake, a recreation area about 40 miles from the still-burning Eaton and Palisades fires.

Two new blazes were reported Thursday in the San Diego area. Further south, near the US-Mexico border, another blaze was quickly spreading through the Otay Mountain Wilderness.

Rain is forecast for the weekend, potentially ending a monthslong dry spell. Winds are less strong than when the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out, allowing for aircraft to dump tens of thousands of gallons of fire retardant.

Nearly 54,000 residents in the Castaic area were under evacuation warnings, the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said Thursday.

The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds came as firefighters continued battling the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires. Officials remained concerned that those fires could break their containment lines. Containment of the Palisades Fire reached 72 percent; the Eaton Fire was 95 percent contained on Thursday.

The two fires have killed at least 28 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan 7.

The fires highlight the region's increasing vulnerability, linked to climate change, poor land management and unpredictable weather patterns.

Amid the destruction, experts stressed that this crisis also offers a chance to implement transformative solutions — through enhanced land management, sustainable practices, and policies aimed at addressing the underlying causes.

Dan Thorman, president of Collidescope, the organizer of Los Angeles Climate Week, pointed to a decade of minimal rainfall, followed by unusually heavy rains over the past two years, as a key factor.

The rains spurred significant vegetation growth in the mountains and surrounding areas, which dried out and became highly flammable.

"These dry conditions, combined with strong winds, created the perfect scenario for a large fire to ignite and spread rapidly," Thorman said. "I personally believe it has to do with climate change."

The Santa Ana winds, typically occurring in the fall and winter, push dry air from the inland deserts of California and the Southwest toward the coast, according to the National Weather Service.

"The intense winds not only accelerated the fire's spread but also made it unsafe for firefighters to combat the blaze effectively, preventing the use of aircraft for water drops. Consequently, the fire expanded into the city, causing significant damage."

Critics like JC Arce, director of Collidescope, have called out local governments for failing to effectively manage forests and reserves.

"Governments and local agencies, especially in LA County and the city of Los Angeles, have not taken into account how to manage forest and reserve landscapes," Arce said.

Unchecked growth of plants, including low-hanging shrubs and trees, has created a dangerous accumulation of flammable material. These plants, often unsuitable for the region's arid climate, act as fuel, making fires more intense and harder to control, according to Arce. He emphasized the need for better plant management, thinning overgrown vegetation, and adopting sustainable practices to mitigate future wildfire risks.

"So, there's actually a lot of opportunity that local businesses and governments can take to better manage the environment and ensure wildfires like the ones we've just seen don't happen moving forward," Arce said.

Ekaterina Sky, an impact artist who works with Collidescope, highlighted what she called another critical factor: the degradation of soil due to monoculture farming. "If we look at the ecosystem around Los Angeles, it's clear how monoculture farming has degraded the soil," Sky told China Daily.

Monoculture farming in California involves growing a single crop type over a large area of land, which is common in the United States.

She explained that planting the same crop repeatedly depletes soil health, reduces biodiversity, and disrupts the natural cycle of precipitation.

"By disrupting this cycle, we're effectively drying out the land," Sky said, calling for a shift to regenerative agriculture, which she said could restore soil health, improve.

"If you fly over Los Angeles, you'll see endless rows of monoculture crops," she said. "This approach is unsustainable. By transitioning to regenerative agriculture, we can restore soil health, improve water retention, and rebuild the land's ability to sustain itself."

California will spend $2.5 billion to help the Los Angeles area recover under a relief package signed Thursday by Governor Gavin Newsom.

The aid won approval a day before President Donald Trump is set to visit to survey the damage from the blazes. He has suggested any federal wildfire relief should come with conditions.

The legislation includes $2.5 billion for the state's disaster response efforts such as evacuations, sheltering survivors and removing household hazardous waste. Lawmakers also approved $4 million for local governments to streamline approvals for rebuilding homes, and $1 million to support school districts and help them rebuild.

Agencies contributed to this story.