Presumed cause of the Los Angeles fires
US investigators believe that a power line, which can withstand wind speeds of up to 90km/h, was outdone at 150km/h, causing the line to fall and sparks to fly.
Fires continue to devastate parts of Los Angeles, including the upscale Pacific Palisades district, where dozens of victims have been reported.
Authorities are trying to determine the cause of the fires and, while they're not ruling out the possibility of arson, one theory that is gaining ground is that overhead power transmission and distribution cables, shaken or blown down by strong winds, may have produced sparks that ignited the dry vegetation below.
The region's public-sector power companies usually cut power in the event of “alerts” such as the Santa Ana winds, but this wasn't the case this time.
According to the latest information, the Santa Ana winds are set to blow with renewed force. At least until Wednesday.
(MH with D. Rodriguez/Source: Agence/Photo: DPA/Anadolu/Lokman Vural Elibol)