What you need to know
A Red Flag Warning is in effect for Malibu Coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley. This warning will later be extended to Los Angeles County beaches, the Palos Verdes Hills, and interior Los Angeles County.Santa Ana’s winds will be strong enough to bring down trees, large branches, and power lines. Caltrans plans to close Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Mulholland Drive and Pacific Coast Highway, citing wildfire danger.
High wind and fire warnings are expected for parts of Southern California this week.
Strong offshore winds are expected Tuesday morning with a red flag warning in effect for the Malibu Coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area, San Gabriel Valley, San Fernando Valley, and Santa Clarita Valley. The alert is scheduled to expire Thursday at 6 p.m.
By late Tuesday, a red flag warning of severe fire danger will extend to the beaches of Los Angeles County, Palos Verdes Hills and the interior coast of Los Angeles County, which extends to downtown Los Angeles.
When wildfires start, they can spread quickly due to strong winds and dry conditions. The rainy season, which began in October, continues to bring dry conditions across Southern California. Downtown Los Angeles has received 0.16 inches of precipitation so far this season, well below the average rainfall of 4.41 inches for this time of year.
“We’re in a huge deficit and unfortunately we’re not getting any rain,” NBCLA forecaster Belen de Leon said.
Winds can be strong enough to knock down trees, large branches and power lines. Winds in Santa Ana can gust at speeds of 60 mph to 80 mph, with some gusts reaching up to 90 mph at the mountain peaks.
“This will be widespread,” de Leon said, adding that stronger winds were expected from Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
Red flag warnings and high wind watches remain in place for parts of inland Orange, San Bernardino and Riverside counties, as well as coastal Ventura County.
heads up! ! ! Life-threatening, destructive and widespread storms are expected across much of Ventura/Los Angeles County from Tuesday afternoon into Wednesday morning. Areas that don’t normally experience strong winds will also be affected. See diagram for areas of most concern. Stay indoors, away from windows, and be prepared for power outages. #LA pic.twitter.com/yl83LxeMEc
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 6, 2025
Caltrans will close Topanga Canyon Boulevard between Mulholland Drive and Pacific Coast Highway from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Friday due to increased fire danger. Only residents and local business traffic will be allowed into the canyon during the closure.
Southern California Edison customers in some areas may have their power turned off under the utility’s Public Safety Power Shutoff Program (Standard Procedures) if fire weather conditions warrant it. Power lines that could be damaged and cause a fire will not be energized.
More than 70,000 customers in Los Angeles County and 9,400 in Orange County are facing power outages, according to SCE’s website.
A cold front will bring temperatures down by 5 to 10 degrees on Tuesday.
The combination of dry conditions, wind, and warm weather can create dangerous fire conditions.
