As firefighters continue to battle fires in Los Angeles that have devastated entire neighborhoods, winds are expected to intensify into Wednesday night, which could further complicate efforts.
Gusty winds combined with persistent dry weather conditions are increasing threats of extreme fires in the region, officials said during a news conference Sunday.
A red flag warning is in effect in the region because northeast wind gusts exceeded 50 mph on Sunday, said Kristin Crowley, a Los Angeles city firefighter. The warning will remain in effect until 6 pm local time on Wednesday, as strong Santa Ana winds are also expected to increase in the coming days.
This natural weather phenomenon was especially widespread this year, with gusts sometimes reaching hurricane strength.
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These winds combined with low humidity and very dry vegetation “will keep the fire threat in Los Angeles County very high,” according to Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney.
While the threat will last through Wednesday, Los Angeles is expected to experience the strongest winds on Tuesday, Crowley and Maroney warned.
“It’s very important for the community to understand that these wind events are coming,” Crowley said.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has come under fire for the city’s preparation before the fire, assured Angelenos that the city is ready to withstand the high winds with the support of all available firefighters in Los Angeles .
The state’s wind gust forecast is expected to remain relatively unchanged over the next four days.
Mountain areas already experienced winds of over 60 mph on Sunday. Winds of 25 to 40 mph are expected in these areas over the next few days with the possibility of gusts up to 70 mph.
Along the coast, winds will range between 20 and 30 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph.
Around downtown Los Angeles, winds are expected to range between 10 and 20 mph, with gusts up to 30 mph.
Strong winds allow the fire to spread quickly, and the embers spark flames in new areas, making the flames particularly difficult to contain.
