A dangerous wind storm starting Tuesday could cause widespread destruction and extreme fire risk in Southern California, so emergency services are preparing for a major response.
The National Weather Service issued a critical fire risk alert for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and the storm began Tuesday afternoon and peaked early Wednesday. Winds will exceed 60 mph and gusts could reach 80 to 100 mph in mountains and foothills.
The warm Santa Ana winds and very low humidity have created perfect conditions for the spread of the fire and authorities are not taking any risks.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday he would preemptively mobilize state resources to deal with the storm, including allocating 65 fire trucks, seven tankers, seven helicopters and 109 specialized workers.
“We are no strangers to the threat of winter wildfires, so I ask all Californians to pay attention to local authorities and be prepared to evacuate if ordered to do so,” Newsom said.
The National Weather Service office in Los Angeles issued a stern warning: “High winds are coming. This is a particularly dangerous situation; in other words, this is the worst it can get in terms of fire weather,” the service said.
The weather service urged people not only to stay indoors but also to stay away from windows during the storm.
The city of Los Angeles warned residents of a “destructive, widespread and potentially deadly wind storm” that will likely down trees and knock out power connections. Fire-prone areas should be ready to evacuate, including the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood Hills.
“We really haven’t seen a season as dry as this followed by a season as wet as the last one,” Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a livestream Monday.
“All that extra abundant grass and vegetation growth was immediately followed by a wind event of this magnitude while it’s still incredibly dry,” he said.
Energy company San Diego Gas & Energy said it could cut power to nearly 65,000 customers as a precaution.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced that all schools in Malibu will be closed Tuesday “due to worsening weather conditions and safety concerns.”
The Los Angeles Unified School District said it will limit outdoor activities for students at schools expected to be affected by strong winds.
Dry Santa Ana winds have been the driving force behind warmer-than-usual temperatures and repeated red flag fire warnings.