A major wind event in Santa Ana will make its way into parts of Southern California, causing extreme fire conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties from 10 a.m. Tuesday through 6 p.m. Thursday. Strong and potentially damaging north-northeast winds could reach up to 130 km/h. Weather officials warn of fallen trees and power outages. Isolated wind gusts in the mountains and foothills could reach 100 mph in some areas.
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“Some of the strongest winds will likely be along Corridor 210 from Sylmar to Azusa,” said CBS News Los Angeles meteorologist Amber Lee.
The NWS also issued a fire watch for the Ventura County Coastal Plain and the northern Ventura Mountains from 10 a.m. Tuesday to 6 p.m. Friday. There is also a fire watch in place for the coast of Los Angeles, Palos Verdes and Catalina Island from 6:00 PM Tuesday to 8:00 PM Wednesday.
Lee said this could be another of the strongest Santa Ana winds the region has seen all winter season.
With no rain forecast, humidity will be low, making vegetation very dry.
Weather officials are urging people to use extreme caution when dealing with potential ignition sources. The strong winds will cause forest fires to increase rapidly. They also warn residents to stay informed of the instructions of the emergency services.
Southern California Edison does not currently have a public safety power shutoff. But several power safety shutdowns are being considered. In Los Angeles County, 70,313 customers are considered and in Ventura County, 71,659 customers are considered.
The NWS measures fire conditions at four levels: small, moderate, large and extreme.