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Much of Los Angeles County will once again face red flag severe fire conditions Thursday as strong and “particularly dangerous” Santa Ana wind events continue, combined with low humidity to increase the risk of wildfires. Become.
Winds were gusty across much of the region Wednesday, with the National Weather Service reporting maximum gusts of 75 to 85 mph in mountainous areas and 45 to 65 mph in lower elevations. Wind speeds had eased by Wednesday evening, but gusts of up to 90 mph were still blowing in the mountains.
Forecasters said a “further offshore push” was expected to begin Thursday morning.
“Winds are not expected to be as strong as they were (Wednesday) morning due to less upper-level support, but will still reach 60 mph in the mountains and below some favored valleys and passes in Los Angeles/Ventura counties,” the newspaper said. Wind gusts exceeding 100 degrees are expected.” N.W.S. “High Wind Warnings are in effect for much of Los Angeles/Ventura County until Thursday afternoon.”
Winds were expected to ease late Thursday, with “more typical weather conditions” expected on Friday and Saturday, with highs in the 70s to low 80s.
But until then, much of the region will be under red flags for severe fire conditions, with some areas under red flags for “particularly dangerous conditions.” Forecasters said they expected humidity levels to range from 8% to 15%.
A red flag warning is issued to indicate a critical fire situation.
A Red Flag Warning for Particularly Hazardous Conditions will be in effect for the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, San Gabriel Mountains and Antelope Valley (14) Highway Corridor until 11 a.m. Friday, and until 9 a.m. Thursday for these areas. until 11 a.m. Friday at Golden State (5) Highway Corridor. A Red Flag Warning is in effect for the Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu Coast and San Fernando Valley until 6 p.m. Thursday, and until 9 a.m. Thursday for these areas. to 6 p.m. Thursday in Calabasas, Agoura Hills, Antelope Valley Foothills and San Gabriel Valley. to 6 p.m. Thursday for the county’s interior coast, including Catalina Island, Los Angeles County beaches, Palos Verdes Hills and downtown Los Angeles.
A red flag warning is in effect for coastal areas of Orange County and the Santa Ana Mountains until Thursday at 6 p.m.
“This is a dangerous fire weather event. New fires within red flag warning areas will result in rapid fire spread, extreme fire behavior, and long-range detection,” forecasters said. said.
Due to expected winds, the California Highway Patrol announced that Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Mulholland Drive and Pacific Coast Highway will be closed to non-residents until 6 a.m. Friday. The CHP also issued a wind advisory for the entire Antelope Valley, including Highway 14 from Ward Road to the Kern County line, urging people driving large vehicles, campers, or towing trailers to be careful. I called out.
As is common with wind farms in Santa Ana, Southern California Edison officials warned that some residents could be subject to a “public safety power outage.” This is to reduce the possibility of fires caused by power outages in parts of the region with particularly strong winds. Device.
As of late Wednesday night, more than 16,300 SCE customers in Los Angeles County and about 4,000 in Orange County were without power, according to the utility’s website.
An additional 62,800 customers in Los Angeles County and another 7,400 customers in Orange County were warned of possible power outages.
In Ventura County, a 14,000-acre wildfire was out of control and more than 23,600 SCE customers lost power due to a safety shutoff.
Residents in areas particularly prone to wind and fire were urged to take precautions during strong winds.
“Due to widespread and severe fire weather conditions impacting Southern California, the Los Angeles County Fire Department is deploying additional personnel and pre-positioning ground and air resources throughout Los Angeles County,” said Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. and implemented a plan to increase personnel.” statement. “Ensuring the safety and survival of residents living in wildfire-prone areas requires cooperation, communication, and community action. We encourage residents to take appropriate precautions and Ready! Set! Please familiarize yourself with the Go! program and the Know Your Zone platform.”
County Sheriff Robert Luna said his department is “actively preparing for this significant weather event.”
“We are fully equipped and ready to respond to any emergency that may occur in our region,” Luna said. “We encourage residents in high-risk areas to be prepared to evacuate in case of unforeseen circumstances and take essentials such as important medicines, documents, and belongings with them.”
Officials urged residents to be prepared by keeping cell phones and other devices fully charged and ready to ring in the event of an emergency alert. Residents should also have a flashlight within reach and be prepared to evacuate in the event of a fire.
Residents can also sign up for emergency notifications by clicking here.
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