Mojave Desert dweller Gaye Burch dislikes windchimes. It’s not the incessant noise that bothers her. It’s the reminder of the Santa Ana winds. As they whip through the desert, “There’s sand everywhere,” Burch says. “We’re nearly buried in it.” But these days, she’s less concerned about the sand—and more worried about her neighbors “down the hill” in Los Angeles. Blazes there in January destroyed more than 14,000 structures and killed at least 27 people.
Destructive weather and environmental events can be perplexing—and distressing. But the God of the universe has all things under His control. Even if we don’t understand in the moment why such hard things occur, He is still good. He tells us we can praise Him through “fire and hail, snow and mist, stormy wind fulfilling His word!” (Psalm 148:7-8)
Santa Anas are dry seasonal winds named after the Santa Ana Canyon, one of several places the winds blow through on their seasonal trek from desert to ocean.
Usually, Southern California winds flow onshore from the Pacific. They carry moist air onto fertile land. Occurring from September to May, Santa Ana winds move in the opposite direction.
According to the National Weather Service, Santa Anas begin when air from high pressure regions over the Mojave Desert and Great Basin moves downhill toward the coast. As they whoosh through mountain passes, the winds pick up speed. At the same time, the air gains heat and loses humidity. These strong, warm, dry currents can whip up and spread wildfires—especially during drought.
This year’s Santa Anas gusted up to 70 miles per hour along the coast and valleys—and up to 100 mph in the mountains around L.A. With no significant rainfall since April, the winds turned seasonal fires into infernos.
Investigators are still trying to determine exactly what first set off January’s devasting California fires. But experts agree the Santa Anas and an abundance of dry vegetation and landscapes in neighborhoods likely worsened them.
The wildfires scorched about 90 square miles near Los Angeles. More than 180,000 people from densely populated neighborhoods evacuated. Another 90,000 were warned to be ready to evacuate. Firefighting efforts were stretched thin. Fresh water resources for extinguishing the fires ran low. Firefighters opted to use some salty seawater in their efforts, leaving its residue in soil. Tens of thousands of people lost power. Water in the municipal system even became unsafe to drink in some areas as the first rains after the flames washed toxic ash and salt into waterways.
Javier Vega says he feels like he’s been “sleeping with one eye open.” He slept restlessly to the sound of helicopters flying over his L.A. neighborhood. Kaylin Johnson’s family spent sleepless nights watching for looters and hosing down their home. It’s one of the few still standing in their neighborhood near Pasadena.
Jon Keeley is a research ecologist in California. He says the area near L.A. sees about 10 Santa Ana wind events per year on average. As for extinguishing a Santa Ana wind-driven fire, there’s little chance of stopping it until the wind subsides.
Thankfully, it is still God who controls every storm.
Why? Creation is a source of many mighty forces—some beyond humans’ ability to control. But nothing is beyond the Creator’s power.
