Meteorologists with the National Weather Service issued what one forecaster described as an “expansive” Red Flag Warning expected to cover most of the Santa Clarita Valley, with gusty winds starting after Election Night ends and blowing through town until Thursday evening.
Bryan Lewis, meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said a combination of factors are leading fire and weather officials to remain on alert for the next couple of days.
Weather experts call it a PDS, or Particularly Dangerous Situation, he said, due to “real strong winds” that could gust up to 70 mph and keep things “quite blustery.”
The other concern at the moment is the relative humidity index in the single digits, a situation that creates dry fuel and adds to the brush fire concern.
And the offshore winds, which are expected to be pretty constant over the next two days, aren’t just aggravating the dry conditions, they’re also expected to make the temperatures considerably colder at night, Lewis said.
The overnight lows for Tuesday into Wednesday and the following evening are in the low 40s, he added.
The wind storm is expected to pass through the SCV by around 5 p.m. Thursday, according to the forecast.
The Sheriff’s Department and fire officials also issued a joint statement of warning in response to the forecast.
“The forecast includes very dry weather coupled with extreme winds, including the potential for gusts up to 100 miles per hour in some wind-prone areas,” according to the alert. “There is high risk for rapid fire growth if a fire were to start. Power outages and damages resulting from high wind are also possible. It is critical that community members remain aware of conditions and take action to prepare now.”
Fire officials said resources will be deployed and at the ready.
“With widespread critical fire weather conditions impacting Southern California, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department has implemented its augmented staffing plan by ordering additional staffing and pre-deployment of ground and aerial resources throughout Los Angeles County,” said County of Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. “It takes cooperation, communication, and community action to ensure the safety and survival of residents living in wildfire-prone areas. I urge residents to take appropriate precautions and be familiar with the Ready! Set! Go! program and Know Your Zone platform.”
