Southern California faces heightened wildfire risks as strong winds and dry conditions return, prompting safety warnings and evacuation preparations.
Los Angeles: So, it’s getting windy and dry again in Southern California. This is raising the chances of wildfires, especially since firefighters are still dealing with the Palisades and Eaton fires that started a couple of weeks ago.
Winds could hit 70 mph along the coast and even 100 mph in the mountains. This extreme fire weather is expected to stick around until Tuesday.
The National Weather Service has warned that parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties are in a “particularly dangerous situation” due to low humidity and those strong Santa Ana winds.
One meteorologist mentioned that if a fire starts, it could grow really fast. So, officials are asking folks not to mow their lawns or do anything that might spark a fire. They also want everyone to check their evacuation plans and have emergency kits ready.
There’s a lot of concern about the Palisades and Eaton fires breaking containment lines or new fires starting. A spokesman from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection stressed the importance of not starting any new fires so they can focus on the ones already burning.
With low humidity and dry vegetation, the situation is pretty tense. The Palisades and Eaton fires have already destroyed over 14,000 structures since they began. As of Monday, the Palisades fire was 59% contained, while the Eaton fire was 87% contained.
Some evacuation orders were lifted for Pacific Palisades, but residents need to show proof of residency to get back in. Over the weekend, two guys even tried to impersonate firefighters to sneak into an evacuation zone, which is just wild.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said the city is ready for any new fires and warned that the strong winds could spread ash from the existing fire zones. She encouraged people to check out lacity.gov for tips on how to protect themselves from toxic air during these Santa Ana winds.
Cal Fire and local fire departments have set up fire engines and water-dropping aircraft across the area to respond quickly if a new fire pops up. They’ve even got extra crews in Kern and Riverside counties.
Los Angeles fire officials are on high alert, with all available engines ready and 30 positioned in high-risk areas. They’ve also kept about 1,000 firefighters on duty to handle the extra engines.
On Monday afternoon, fire crews quickly put out a small brush fire near Griffith Observatory, showing they’re ready to act fast.
