section_path: Background
section_name: Background
paragraph_text: Background
  
  The windstorm and resulting fire danger were well forecast. On January 1, the Lachman Fire broke out. The Lachman Fire was contained at 4:46 a.m. local time and was limited to only eight acres and did not destroy any structures. The Palisades Fire was later reported to start from a similar spot as to where the Lachman Fire started. On January 2, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) warned that conditions in Southern California fostered "above normal significant fire potential". That same day, local National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts noted the potential for intense fires and issued a Fire Weather Watch.
  
  On January 3, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) forecast a critical risk of fire weather that would occur on January 8 and that of January 7 on January 5. By January 7, on the first day of critical fire weather in the area, the SPC forecasted an extremely critical risk for Fire Weather for January 8. Subsequent days since January 9 up to January 15 have had at least a critical fire weather risk issued for Southern California, with January 13–14 having back to back Extremely Critical Fire Risks. On January 17, they issued a Critical Fire Risk for January 20–21, with the former upgraded to Extremely Critical Risk by January 19, the latter also upgraded to Extremely Critical by January 20. Later on January 20, the SPC also forecasted Critical fire weather for January 22–23.
  
  The NWS issued a red flag warning, denoting the most extreme fire danger, for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, calling it a " particularly dangerous situation " that posed high risk to life and property. The warning emphasized that fires could rapidly grow due to powerful winds and low humidity. Southern California had become increasingly arid since late summer 2024, with storm systems predominantly affecting the Pacific Northwest and Northern California instead, as a result of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) shifting from El Niño to La Niña. La Niña conditions had emerged over the tropical Pacific Ocean by December 2024. By late December 2024, most of Los Angeles County had entered moderate drought status, creating heightened fire vulnerability due to desiccated vegetation in what was traditionally the region's wet season.
  
  The windstorm and resulting fire danger were well forecast. On January 1, the Lachman Fire broke out. The Lachman Fire was contained at 4:46 a.m. local time and was limited to only eight acres and did not destroy any structures. The Palisades Fire was later reported to start from a similar spot as to where the Lachman Fire started. On January 2, the National Interagency Fire Center (NIFC) warned that conditions in Southern California fostered "above normal significant fire potential". That same day, local National Weather Service (NWS) forecasts noted the potential for intense fires and issued a Fire Weather Watch.
  
  On January 3, the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) forecast a critical risk of fire weather that would occur on January 8 and that of January 7 on January 5. By January 7, on the first day of critical fire weather in the area, the SPC forecasted an extremely critical risk for Fire Weather for January 8. Subsequent days since January 9 up to January 15 have had at least a critical fire weather risk issued for Southern California, with January 13–14 having back to back Extremely Critical Fire Risks. On January 17, they issued a Critical Fire Risk for January 20–21, with the former upgraded to Extremely Critical Risk by January 19, the latter also upgraded to Extremely Critical by January 20. Later on January 20, the SPC also forecasted Critical fire weather for January 22–23.
  
  The NWS issued a red flag warning, denoting the most extreme fire danger, for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, calling it a " particularly dangerous situation " that posed high risk to life and property. The warning emphasized that fires could rapidly grow due to powerful winds and low humidity. Southern California had become increasingly arid since late summer 2024, with storm systems predominantly affecting the Pacific Northwest and Northern California instead, as a result of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) shifting from El Niño to La Niña. La Niña conditions had emerged over the tropical Pacific Ocean by December 2024. By late December 2024, most of Los Angeles County had entered moderate drought status, creating heightened fire vulnerability due to desiccated vegetation in what was traditionally the region's wet season.