A severe red flag weather warning was issued by the National Weather Service for Los Angeles and Ventura counties as of early Tuesday morning, underscoring the threat that continues to the weary region after nearly a week of hurricanes.
The alarming “extremely hazardous situation” warning was first issued by the local office of the National Weather Service in October 2020, then in December 2020 – and until 2024.
Issuing this warning is “one of the loudest ways we can shout,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a National Weather Service meteorologist.
“This is a persistent hot weather and wind trend,” Schoenfeld said. Gusts could range from 45 mph to 70 mph, and the air will be quite dry, especially on Tuesday, with relative humidity as low as 5%. There will be a high risk of power outages, rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, with fires able to move quickly as embers fly at high speeds.
“DO NOT do anything that could start a fire,” said the weatherman. A severe weather warning was due to go into effect at 4 a.m. Tuesday and last until noon Wednesday.
(National Weather Service)
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said firefighters made extensive preparations ahead of the severe weather event.
“I want to assure you that your LAFD, all our regional partners, all the agencies that go up and down this state and outside the state – we are ready,” he said Sunday afternoon.
These preparations include strengthening fire control lines around the Eaton and Palisades fires, moving dry brush away from surviving structures, and deploying resources to areas where new fires may ignite.
“We have put forward additional engines, fire crews, helicopters, bulldozers and water tenders across Southern California,” said Nancy Ward, director of the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
Crews also prepared for a worst-case scenario where strong winds prevented the use of firefighting aircraft by dropping ineffective equipment near fire perimeters.
“If [aircraft] we’re tight, we’ve built a little barrier ahead of time so the crews can get in there,” LA County Fire Battalion Chief Christian Litz said Sunday afternoon.
Sunday’s grim forecast came as the death toll from the Palisades and Eaton fires rose to 24. Eight fire victims died in the Palisades fire and 16 in the Eaton fire in Altadena, according to a Los Angeles County news release. Health Inspector.
Officials warn that prices will likely continue to rise. Search and recovery operations are underway at both the Eaton and Palisades fire stations using cadaver dogs and grid searches, LA County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
The fires are among the worst in California’s modern history. The worst wildfire in the state remains the Camp Fire, which tore through the town of Paradise in Butte County in 2018 and killed at least 85 people. The second deadliest was the Griffith Park fire of 1933, which killed 29 people; followed by the Oakland-Berkeley hills fire in 1991, in which 25 died; and the Tubbs fire in Napa and Sonoma counties in 2017, which killed 22.
Although there are no final burn figures, the fires are already among the most destructive in California’s modern history. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the Palisades fire burned more than 5,300 structures, and the Eaton fire burned more than 5,000, ranking as the third and fourth most destructive fires on record.
They are eclipsed only by the Tubbs fire, which burned more than 5,600 structures in 2017 in wine country, and the Camp fire, which burned nearly 19,000 structures.
The Palisades fire was 23,713 acres and 13% contained as of Sunday evening, while the Eaton fire was 14,117 acres and 27% contained, according to Cal Fire.
As officials try to determine the cause of the Eaton fire, which burned areas in and around Altadena, investigators are focusing on a power tower in Eaton Canyon. Earlier photos and videos taken by residents captured what appeared to be the first flames of the deadly Eaton fire burning at the base of a Southern California Edison power transmission tower before racing down a canyon toward homes.
Southern California Edison officials have so far said they do not believe their electrical equipment was to blame.
Regarding the 800-acre Hurst fire near Sylmar, firefighters are investigating whether downed utility equipment at Southern California Edison may have played a role in igniting the fire, company officials said. The fire — which started Tuesday near Diamond Road in Sylmar — was 89 percent contained and evacuation orders had been lifted as of Sunday, although firefighting efforts are ongoing.
The company released a report on Friday saying that a fallen conductor was found in the tower near the fire but “does not know if the damage seen happened before or after the fire started.”
Fire weather this week is not expected to be as bad as last week’s historic rain that fueled the Palisades and Eaton fires, Schoenfeld said. The area covered by the hazardous situation warning mainly affects a very small area – mainly in the northern San Fernando Valley, including Porter Ranch and San Fernando; the Santa Monica Mountains to the west and the Malibu area; the wider areas of Ventura County, including the cities of Ventura, Simi Valley and Fillmore; and the Grapevine portion of Interstate 5.
“However, this is a very dangerous situation that can lead to extreme fire behavior and life-threatening conditions,” Schoenfeld said. “The oil remains very dry, with an extended period of very low humidity across the region.”
What makes the situation worse is how little rain Southern California has received. Only 0.16 inches of rain has fallen since October 1 in the city of Los Angeles, which is nothing compared to the 5.23 inches that, on average, this point in the water year sees.
Strong winds are predicted along the coast and in the valleys from 25 mph to 40 mph, with gusts of 30 mph to 50 mph. In the hills and mountains, sustained winds of 30 mph to 45 mph are possible, with peak gusts of 50 mph to 70 mph.
While downtown LA and Long Beach should expect top gusts of 15 mph, gusts could hit 40 mph in Canoga Park and Lancaster, 43 mph in Oxnard, 47 mph in Santa Clarita, 53 mph in Fillmore, 55 mph in Pyramid Lake and 69 mph. in Acton.
There will be a greater risk of downed trees and power lines than a standard red fire weather warning, Schoenfeld said. A shutdown of public safety power is most likely in a high-risk environment.
The area covered by this warning does not include the tracks of the Palisades and Eaton fires but is nearby. It includes the Hurst fireplace in Sylmar.
This wind event will be a typical Santa Ana wind, with winds coming from the east and fanning the fires to the west. The worst of last week’s storms was a “mountain wave,” which occurs when a storm moves quickly down the slopes of mountains, then gains strength as it hits flat land. The event caused a brief burst of strong, dangerous winds, with gusts of up to 100 mph reported near Altadena. The winds from that event came mainly from the north.
Last week’s windstorms were rare because the winds were incredibly widespread and the affected areas typically don’t see strong winds during Santa Ana’s strongest wind events, Schoenfeld said. Usually, when gusts of 100 mph are reported, they are away from the mountains. Altadena and the hilly areas of the San Gabriel Valley don’t usually see strong winds during the usual Santa Ana wind events – but it happened last week, one of the main reasons why Altadena was so devastated by the Eaton fire.
(National Weather Service)
This is the fourth severe weather warning issued since the fall. Each of the three previous warnings was followed by large, destructive fires — the 19,904-acre Mountain Fire in Ventura County, which destroyed more than 240 structures in November; the 4,037-acre Franklin fire, which quickly spread to Malibu and destroyed 20 properties in December; and last week’s Palisades and Eaton fires.
A standard red flag warning — warning of severe fire weather conditions — is already in effect starting Saturday for large areas of Southern California, and will be extended Monday. Red flag warning areas include regions that are much larger than those covered by the most dangerous situation.
The red flag warning for LA and Ventura counties is expected to end at 6 pm Wednesday.
Officials also warned of the risk of dangerous seas and strong winds in LA County. The affected area stretches from Malibu to Santa Monica and includes Anacapa Island and the San Pedro Channel. Avalon Harbor on Catalina Island could see a big boom.
A break in the worst fire weather is expected starting Thursday and continuing through the weekend or so, “with less wind and increasing humidity,” Schoenfeld said.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said Sunday he is sending 1,000 more members of the California National Guard to destroy Los Angeles. The new additions will bring the total number of Guard members in the state to about 2,500 on Monday, according to the governor’s office.
Los Angeles authorities said Sunday they arrested 29 more people overnight at firehouses, including one burglary suspect who was allegedly dressed as a firefighter. Of those arrested, 25 were arrested at the Eaton fire station and four were arrested at the Palisades fire station, authorities said.
Mexican firefighters and paramedics have arrived in Los Angeles to help fight the blaze. Gov. Gavin Newsom said 72 firefighters arrived on Saturday. They join thousands of others in fighting fires.
Times staff writers Rebecca Ellis, Grace Toohey, Jenny Jarvie, Laura J. Nelson, Kevin Rector, Ruben Vives, Julia Wick again Richard Winton contributed to this report.
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