The threat to the fire-weary region is still present, despite the fact that winds across the Southern California area are calmer than they were at their peak and firefighters are making headway.
With Santa Ana winds forecast to continue in the coming days, the hazard to the region remains.
“Everyone needs to be on high alert,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass stated Monday. “Los Angeles and partner firefighters are pre-deployed, and we ask Angelenos to be prepared in case they need to evacuate.”
The National Weather Service issued “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warnings until 10 a.m. PT Tuesday for a large portion of the mountainous and foothill regions of Ventura and Los Angeles counties, including Malibu. This means that conditions like high winds and low humidity will make fires more likely.
The repercussions of the extended Santa Ana Wind event may last until Thursday, even though current warnings, which indicate the likelihood of wind gusts up to 100 mph, are scheduled to end Tuesday morning.
San Diego County’s mountains and valleys, along with the majority of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties, are already under fire weather watches, which will be in place from Tuesday night until Thursday night.
According to the National Weather Service, strong winds and extremely dry air continue to increase the risk of fire, even though Monday night’s forecast slightly weakened.
The National Weather Service in Los Angeles reported that wind gusts to significant heights throughout Southern California Monday night, reaching a maximum of 77 mph at Sill Hill in the San Diego County Mountains and 74 mph at Magic Mountain in the Angeles National Forest.
Two “extremely critical” fire zones—the highest alert level—were issued by the Storm Prediction Center for Tuesday.
The first pertains to a large portion of the San Gabriel Mountains, including the shoreline of Malibu, and stretches westward toward the Santa Monica and Santa Susana mountains. The second is that this warning also applies to parts of the western San Jacinto Mountains and the eastern foothills of San Diego.
According to the prediction center, over 10 million people are at risk of a critical fire, classified as level 2 of 3, and over three million people are under a “extremely critical” fire threat.
Due to persistent offshore winds and abnormally low humidity, conditions are predicted to last through Thursday, with many regions probably seeing humidity levels between 2% and 5% between Tuesday and Thursday, the agency warned.
In a statement released on Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom claimed that “more than 130 fire engines, water tenders, and aircraft have been mobilized to Southern California.”
In addition to its regular staffing levels, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection “has surged and positioned over 790 firefighting personnel who are ready to respond,” according to the release.
Even worse, there is a severe drought affecting almost all of Southern California, though Saturday could bring rain, according to National Weather Service forecasters.
Red flag warnings are issued in response to concerns regarding the Los Angeles Fire Department’s readiness and the local response to the tragedy.
Mayor Bass is under fire for the timing of a vacation abroad and for slashing the fire department’s budget months earlier.
According to fire officials and the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner, the wildfires have burned thousands of houses and claimed the lives of at least 27 individuals.
According to the sheriff’s office, 41,000 people in Los Angeles County were still under an evacuation order or warning on Saturday.
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In preparation for the strong winds and increased fire risk, firefighting crews have already deployed.
“We are strategically managing our emergency operations to ensure a rapid response to all new fires,” stated Chief Kristin Crowley, adding that the Los Angeles Fire Department “has deployed all available resources and strategically positioned fire patrols and fire engines in the high risk areas across the city of Los Angeles.”
According to Crowley, fire engines and planes have also been pre-positioned throughout Southern California by regional and state firefighting partners.
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Due to a concerning deficiency of precipitation since spring, the area is at a higher risk of wildfires because the grasses and brush are dry and extremely flammable.
The prolonged drought, which has been made worse by Santa Ana winds, has made the terrain more susceptible. Ninety percent of Los Angeles County is currently under severe drought, according to the US Drought Monitor’s most recent statistics. This is a sharp rise from less than a month ago, when there were no severe drought conditions.
