A major earthquake struck near the Pacific Ocean on Thursday morning. While the city of Los Angeles is dealing with massive wildfires, a country in Central America is now dealing with a serious earthquake situation.

One of the biggest stories of 2025 thus far has been the wildfires in California. A common occurrence in that state, wildfires are often fueled by a combination of drought and terrain. The terrain allows for the development of Santa Ana winds that cause any fire to spread very quickly.

Topography matters, too — treeless mountain peaks are typically windier without those trees, or buildings, to slow the winds. And different parts of Earth — water and land — heat from sunlight at different rates, which shapes wind.

One of the biggest stories of 2025 thus far has been the wildfires in California. A common occurrence in that state, wildfires are often fueled by a combination of drought and terrain. The terrain allows for the development of Santa Ana winds that cause any fire to spread very quickly.

Katabatic winds? Adiabatic compression? Time for a thermodynamics lesson! The record lack of rain has also made this Santa Ana event different.

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