201910.19
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Red Flag Warnings for strong, dry winds extended to Los Angeles County

by in News

Red Flag Warnings for moderate to strong northerly winds were expanded to include mountain areas in Los Angeles County and the San Fernando Valley, the National Weather Service announced before noon Saturday.

The warning, which runs from 6 p.m. Saturday to 10 p.m. Sunday, was added as humidity in areas of Los Angeles County continued  trending drier than anticipated, officials said in an updated forecast.

“Areas under a Red Flag Warning will have an increased threat of large fires, along with very rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior with any new fire ignitions,” the NWS said in its updated forecast.

Gusty northerly winds will be felt across the region through Sunday evening, with the strongest bursts coming late Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning, according to an NWS forecast.

Gusts of 40 to 60 miles per hour will be common in the San Fernando Valley, officials said.

Humidity will range between 8 and 20 percent through Sunday.

Prior to the warning, Los Angeles County had faced a wind advisory during the same time period as north winds were expected to blow between 20 to 30 miles per hour.

The forecast was announced as crews in some areas continue to battle wildfires, primarily the Saddleridge fire in Sylmar, which as of Saturday night was 78 percent contained and measured at 8,799 acres.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department beefed up its staffing amid the red flag warnings, calling in an extra 100 firefighters all throughout Saturday and into Sunday morning.

Authorities positioned a strike team near the front lines of the Saddleridge fire in case winds pick up.

“If the winds pick up, it’ll be bad,” said County fire spokesman Sky Cornell, referring to the weather’s potential effect on the ongoing blaze.

Another strike team sat ready in Santa Clarita, where officials also expected gusts to reach 60 mph.

In Orange County, fire authorities responded to the dry, gusty weather with similar staffing increases, positioning extra fire crews near fire risk areas, and adding equipment to their arsenal, such as more fire engines and helicopters, the Orange County Fire Authority said in a statement.

Also, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said that because of high fire danger this weekend, in the Angeles National Forest the Chaney Trail would be closed to vehicles and Millard Canyon Campground would be closed.

“Also the Angeles National Forest will be under fire restriction starting today, (officials are) asking people not to build, maintain or attend any campfire, fire, or stove fire within the forest boundary,” a sheriff’s statement said.

And Southern California Edison reported on its website that while precautionary power outages had not been ordered as of 6:30 p.m. Saturday, such outages aimed at preventing fires were being considered that would affect 4,864 customers in Los Angeles County in  areas including parts of Santa Clarita, Canyon Country, Action, Castaic and Chatsworth.

Also under consideration were possible shutoffs in parts of Orange (2,434 customers) and San Bernardino counties (2,814 customers).

Communities that could lose power included parts of Lake Forest, Portola Hills, Modjeska and Silverado in Orange County; and in San Bernardino County parts of the cities and towns of San Bernardino, Rialto, Big Bear, Apple Valley and Fontana; and unincorporated areas Doble, Upper Holcomb Valley, northeast of Fawnskin, north of Big Bear, Verdemont, Etiwanda, Grapevine Canyon, San Sevaine Flats, Devils Canyon, Serrano Village and Kendall.

Additional shutoffs were being considered in Inyo, Kern, Mono, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.