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Christmas week is bringing red flag warnings to Southern California, with a wildfire threat likely to last until noon Thursday.
The forecast calls for gusty Santa Ana winds and low humidity that will create hazardous conditions across the region.
“Since we also haven’t seen really any rain this winter, the vegetation is still pretty dry as well, so that’s why we’re still talking about fire weather even this late in the season,” said Kristen Stewart, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Los Angeles. “Usually by [now], we have some sort of rain to alleviate the fire season.”
Santa Ana winds are expected to peak late Wednesday in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with gusts between 40 and 60 mph in some areas, according to the weather service. The strongest winds are expected in the Santa Clarita Valley, eastern Ventura County valleys and the northern San Fernando Valley. Humidity is also dropping in the already-dry region to a low of 3% in some areas.
The weather service in San Diego also issued a red flag warning through noon Christmas Eve for Orange, San Diego, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The most extreme conditions will be in inland mountains and valleys, with gusts up to 60 mph around Cajon Pass, San Gorgonio Pass and the foothills, said meteorologist Samantha Connolly, while most areas will see winds of 30-40 mph.
“The winds are really picking up through the passes and over the foothills,” Connolly said. “It kind of comes down the mountain.”
This year marked California’s worst wildfire season on record, with more than 4 million acres burned, and topped a decade that has seen eight of the 10 largest fires in the state’s history.
Many of this season’s fires, such as the Bobcat fire in Angeles National Forest and the Blue Ridge fire in Orange County, burned amid similar conditions, fueled by dry vegetation and fierce winds.
The combination of strong winds and dry fuels makes for ripe fire conditions, as a stray spark can ignite a fast-spreading wildfire.
“Use extreme caution with potential fire ignition sources,” the weather service said in announcing the red flag warning. “This is the time to get set with assembling your emergency supply kit and knowing your evacuation route.”
Heavy winds can topple trees and power lines and create hazardous driving conditions, the weather service warned.
A red flag warning issued for Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties was canceled as forecasts improved, the weather service said.
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