Parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties are expected to see wind gusts up to 80 mph this week, putting the parched region at “major risk” of wildfires, the National Weather Service warned.
The Santa Ana winds will begin to pick up Tuesday morning and increase in intensity through Wednesday, with gusts from 55 to 80 miles per hour, said Rich Thompson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The windy conditions are expected to continue through Friday evening.
Strong Santa Anas are typical for this time of year, Thompson said. What’s unusual is that “we haven’t had any significant rain for months,” leaving the region unusually dry this time of year.
“The fuels are at near-critical levels in terms of moisture content,” Thompson said. “That’s a recipe for fire.”
Southern California hasn’t recorded more than one-tenth of an inch of rain since May 5. Much of the region has fallen into moderate drought conditions, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor.
Any fire this week “may grow rapidly in size with extreme fire behavior,” the National Weather Service said. The public is urged to be cautious with potential sources of ignition such as fireworks, cigarette butts, campfires and machinery sparks.
In November, a wind-driven wildfire in Ventura County razed 243 buildings and damaged dozens more in Camarillo and nearby communities, authorities said. The tally placed the Mountain fire as the third most destructive wildfire in Southern California since at least 2013.
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