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By Jon Jackson and Matthew Impelli
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President Joe Biden on Tuesday canceled an event in California's Eastern Coachella Valley due to dangerously high winds that have raised the risk of wildfires in the area.
Why It Matters
A windstorm that forecasters have described as life-threatening has caused brush fires to erupt across Los Angeles.
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One particularly fast-moving brush fire, dubbed the Palisades Fire, erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, Southern California, prompting urgent evacuations as it spread rapidly amid severe winds.
What To Know
Biden was scheduled to appear at an event announcing the creation of two new national monuments that will honor Native American tribes. The White House initially announced that the event would move from the Eastern Coachella Valley to Los Angeles, but the event was canceled as the president was in his limousine ready to depart Los Angeles. The White later confirmed the event would be rescheduled for next week at the White House to accommodate additional attendees.
The National Weather Service warned that the ongoing Santa Ana windstorm could be the most powerful in over a decade, with peak intensity expected in the early hours of Wednesday. Wind gusts are projected to reach up to 80 mph with isolated areas in the mountains and foothills potentially experiencing gusts exceeding 100 mph.
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Where Is The Pacific Palisade Fire?
The Palisades Fire began at 11:04 a.m. local time southeast of Palisades Drive and has grown to 200 acres within an hour with no containment reported.
Evacuations are underway due to the potential threat to life and property, according to Cal Fire. A severe windstorm with gusts up to 100 mph in higher elevations is fueling the fire, alongside dry, low-humidity conditions across Southern California.
Authorities urge residents in affected areas to evacuate immediately for their safety.
Biden's Trip To California
The president's now-canceled announcement about the monuments was tied to his administration's "America the Beautiful" initiative, which aims to conserve at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.
The proclamations designate the Chuckwalla National Monument in Southern California, near Joshua Tree National Park, and the Sáttítla National Monument in Northern California. The measures prohibit drilling, mining, and other development across 624,000 acres at Chuckwalla and approximately 225,000 acres near the Oregon border.
The newly designated monuments safeguard clean water for local communities, preserve culturally significant sites for tribal nations and Indigenous peoples and expand public access to natural spaces, according to the White House.
What People Are Saying
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection on Tuesday said in an announcement: "The Palisades fire is estimated at 200 acres and is currently bumping the area of Chastain Parkway East and Calle Brittany. The fire has spotted across Palisades Drive and is currently on both sides of the road."
What's Next
Biden's announcement noted that he will deliver his address next week.
This article includes reporting from The Associated Press.
Update 01/07/25 5:27 p.m. ET: This story has been updated with further information.
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