Topanga Canyon Boulevard will be closed along a 15-mile stretch of road stretching to where it meets the Pacific Coast Highway amid high winds and other weather conditions that pose the risk of wildfires, authorities said Tuesday.
Forecasters issued a red flag warning this week because of winds in Santa Ana and low humidity in parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, weather conditions that could cause fires to ignite and spread quickly. A high wind warning is also in effect, with strong gusts of wind capable of downing trees and power lines and spreading fires as they start.
From Mulholland Drive to the PCH, Topanga Canyon is closed from 6 a.m. Wednesday to 6 a.m. Friday. The California Highway Patrol has instructed drivers to seek alternate routes.
Only residents are allowed onto the roadway and they must show proof of residence or a Topanga Resident Access Card.
Earlier this year, landslides led to weeks of closures of the road connecting the Malibu coast to the San Fernando Valley. heavy rain brought down hills and the terrain remained unstable repairs were carried out.
The National Weather Service (NWS) described weather conditions in LA and Ventura counties this week as potentially “extreme and life-threatening fire behavior,” with the warning there reaching the level of an “extremely hazardous situation” — a weather advisory with a higher risk level than typical red flag warnings.
Red flag warnings and high wind warnings are also in effect for other parts of Southern California, with the mountains and valleys of Riverside and San Bernardino counties, as well as parts of Orange County, experiencing particularly risky weather conditions.
