Red Flag Warning for high fire danger in effect in SoCal due to #SantaAna winds. Be fire safe http://t.co/zvkVYHlUhr pic.twitter.com/kDFqz0Ipzg
— CAL FIRE PIO Berlant (@CALFIRE_PIO) November 5, 2014
Story updated at 11:05 a.m., Nov. 5, 2014
A red flag warning indicating a high risk of wildfire due to high winds and low humidity was in force Wednesday in mountain, valley and forest areas of Southern California.
The warning was scheduled to be in effect until 9 Wednesday night in the Santa Clarita and San Fernando valleys, the Angeles National Forest, the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains, Orange County, and valley and forest areas of Ventura County.
National Weather Service forecasters said northeast winds between 15 and 30 miles per hour, with gusts of up to 50 mph, would blow through the red flag zones amid humidity levels ranging from 4 to 15 percent.
The Los Angeles Fire Department pre-deployed extra firefighters at staging areas in communities at high risk of brush fires, predominantly in the San Fernando Valley and Hollywood areas, as did the Los Angeles County Fire Department, especially near Malibu and Santa Clarita.
Nine water-tender vehicles, each carrying 1,000 gallons of water, were staffed and ready to deploy. Also, additional personnel were assigned to fire stations to cover normal firefighting assignments while extra patrols were on the lookout for brush fire problems.
Along with the red flag warning, a wind advisory was posted in Orange County until noon and in the Santa Clarita Valley, both the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains, and the valleys of Ventura County until 4 this afternoon.
The NWS forecast highs today of 76 in Lancaster; 77 in Palmdale and San Clemente; 79 on Mount Wilson; 81 in Avalon; 83 in Laguna Beach and at LAX; 84 in Newport Beach; 86 in Saugus, San Gabriel, Yorba Linda and Fullerton; 87 in downtown L.A., Burbank and Pasadena; 88 in Anaheim; 89 in Long Beach and Mission Viejo; 90 in Irvine; and 91 in Woodland Hills.
Thursday’s temperatures are expected to be the same or a few degrees higher.
— City News Service