When the air is warm and dry, transpiration and evaporation also suck water out of the plants and soil. That leaves dry vegetation that can provide fuel for flying embers to spread wildfires, as the Los Angeles area saw in early January.

The Hurst Fire has set 505 acres ablaze near San Fernando, California in the Sylmar neighborhood, according to Cal Fire. It is 0% contained. The cause of the fire, which was discovered on Tuesday at around 10:30 p.

Major fires across Los Angeles this week have killed at least five people, forced 180,000 to flee their homes, and destroyed thousands of structures. Here are some of the organizations accepting support for those impacted: Children Project Camp: The Los Angeles-based organization runs trauma-informed pop-up day camps for children displaced or out