Wind Conditions During Period of Potential Containment
Cal Fire reported the fire’s growth from 10 acres to 200 acres during this six-hour interval, yet winds remained moderate and stable:
- Highest sustained wind:35.7 mph at 12:15 p.m. from Station KCAMALIB52 (Malibu, 7 miles from fire).
- Historical check: there have been 87 days since 1947 with sustained winds ≥ 35.7 mph, underscoring that such speeds are routine for the area.
- Highest gust: 44 mph at 11:55 a.m. from KCAMALIB158, a station at White Cloud Ranch in Santa Monica Mountains (11 miles from fire).
- Regional consistency:
- 40 of 44 stations (≈ 91 %) recorded sustained winds ≤ 30 mph throughout the window, with little directional variability.
- No station registered gusts that met or exceeded the National Weather Service “High Wind Warning” threshold (sustained ≥ 40 mph and gusts ≥ 58 mph).
Taken together, these observations confirm that fire-line conditions were well below hurricane force and comfortably within the historical norms for Southern California winter wind events. Claims that the Palisades Fire was driven by unprecedented or unmanageable winds are not supported by the meteorological record.
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