As firefighters battle the Eaton and Palisades fires in Southern California, strong Santa Ana winds are hitting the fire-ravaged region again — posing renewed risks for the fires to spread and for new ones to spark.
The National Weather Service issued "particularly dangerous" red flag warnings to last from noon Monday to 10 a.m. local time Tuesday for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties and other parts of Southern California. Mild temperatures, low humidity and expected strong winds and powerful gusts in the mountains and foothills, are creating the perfect environment for fires to spread quickly, the National Weather Service warned.
"This is already the third 'particularly dangerous' red flag warning that has been issued for the month of January, which is unprecedented for this area," National Weather Service incident meteorologist James White said during a briefing Monday morning.
The red flag warnings are expected to last through Thursday as forecasts indicate the strong winds and low humidity are unlikely to let up any time soon. With the looming threat, officials urged residents in effected areas to prepare to evacuate, if ordered to do so.
In anticipation of the fire weather this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom mobilized "more than 130 fire engines, water tenders, and aircraft to Southern California, along with personnel," his office announced Sunday.
"The recent firestorms in Los Angeles have illustrated the importance of being in the right place at the right time. By strategically placing specialized personnel and equipment in areas prone to wildfires, crews are able to respond faster and more aggressively," Newsom said in a statement. "These conditions are dangerous, so it's incumbent upon all families to stay vigilant."
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has also "surged and positioned" more than 790 firefighters and 76 trucks, hand crews, dozers and airplanes in Los Angeles, Ventura, San Bernardino, San Diego, and Riverside and Kern counties.
This extreme fire weather comes as fire crews are still battling the highly destructive Eaton and Palisades fires almost two weeks after they first broke out. A brief break in weather allowed firefighters to reach 87% containment on the Eaton Fire and 59% containment on the Palisades blaze, as of Monday morning. Both fires began on Jan. 7. At least 27 people have died and thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed.
The prolonged drought in California, causing unprecedented levels of dryness for fuels, which includes grass, trees, dead leaves and other burnable material, is only contributing to the unprecedented elevated fire risks.
"The resultant level of fuel volatility would be notable in summer months, and is extraordinary for January," according to the latest advisory on fuels and fire behavior from the National Interagency Fire Center, a combination of federal and state agencies that provide support for on-the-ground wildland firefighting efforts. The center said this is the earliest that such an advisory has ever been issued.
There appears little to no change in the weather patterns through the end of the month as, according to the National Interagency Fire Center, "Fuels will remain highly receptive to ignition and spread, maintaining the risk of large fires."
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