It's December, but wildfire season isn't over in Southern California.
An unusually warm weekend followed by dry conditions and gusty Santa Ana winds is expected to bring heightened fire danger to Los Angeles and Ventura counties next week.
Both counties are under a fire weather watch from 10 a.m. Monday through 6 p.m. Wednesday due to strong central winds and very low humidity, according to the National Weather Service. The weather service expects to upgrade the watch to red flag warnings sometime over the weekend.
Above average temperatures are forecast everywhere except the coast this weekend, with highs in the 80s. On Monday, moderate Santa Ana winds are expected to sweep through Los Angeles and Ventura at 20 to 35 mph, with gusts between 35 and 50 mph.
Monday night, local wind gusts of 50 to 65 mph are forecast in the western San Gabriel, Santa Susana and western Santa Monica Mountains, bringing a high fire danger, according to the weather service.
Single-digit humidity is likely Monday and Tuesday, and may continue into Wednesday, according to the weather service. Although humidity levels tend to rise overnight, the weather service is predicting a “slight recovery overnight” where humidity will likely not exceed 20% Monday and Tuesday night.
“We have high hopes that fire weather watches will be converted to red flag warnings,” said Carol Smith, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. “Our highest guarantee is for high wind conditions from Monday night into Tuesday night.”
While people often associate the arrival of winter with the end of hot, dry weather, Southern California's 2024 fire season is predicted to last until Dec. 31, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
“Some of California's most devastating wildfires occur in late fall and early winter, particularly in November and December,” Cal Fire said in a statement last month. “It's always been a dry, windy day until then, and it's holding the power of the wildfire. Stay informed, stay alert, and make sure you're prepared.”
In November, high winds and low humidity prompted the weather service to issue a “particularly hazardous” red flag warning on Nov. 5, warning us of “terrible fire weather conditions.” The next day the Mountain Fire broke out in Camarillo Heights and, fueled by winds of up to 80 mph, burned more than 20,000 acres and destroyed more than 130 structures.
Smith said this year's fire season is shaping up to be a little longer than normal but not much different than normal.
“We are trying to finish it [fire season] at Christmas time, but that seems unlikely at the moment,” he said. “We need a widespread, 3- to 4-inch rain event. That could signal the end of the fire season.”
He urges everyone to remember common fire weather precautions: avoid using open flames outside, remove dry debris from around your home, do not smoke in open areas and do not operate heavy machinery near dry brush.
LA County residents can sign up for emergency alerts at alert.lacounty.gov and Ventura County residents can sign up at vcalert.org.
Source link
