Wind gusts of up to 130 mph are expected to hit parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties this week, putting the dry region at “significant risk” for wildfires, the National Weather Service warned.
Winds in Santa Ana will begin to pick up Tuesday morning and increase into Wednesday, with wind speeds ranging from 55 mph to 80 mph, National Weather Service meteorologist Rich Thompson said. Windy conditions are expected to continue into Friday night.
Thompson said the strong Santa Ana is typical of this time of year. What’s unusual is that the area is unusually dry for this time of year, as “there hasn’t been much rain in recent months.”
“The moisture content of the fuel is near critical levels,” Thompson said. “That’s the recipe for fire.”
Southern California has not recorded more than a tenth of an inch of rain since May 5th. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, much of the region is in moderate drought conditions.
The National Weather Service said fires starting this week “could grow rapidly due to extreme fire behavior.” The public is asked to be aware of potential ignition sources such as fireworks, cigarette butts, campfires and machinery sparks.
A wind-driven wildfire in Ventura County in November destroyed 243 buildings and damaged dozens more in Camarillo and nearby areas, authorities said. The fire was the third deadliest wildfire in Southern California since at least 2013, according to the tally.
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