Wide swaths of California will face searing temperatures over the weekend, with forecasters issuing a heat advisory for non-coastal areas and warning about the risk of adverse fire weather.
Very warm temperatures of 90 to 100 degrees were expected across inland areas of Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties Saturday and Sunday. The Inland Empire could see temperatures from the mid-90s to 103.
An extreme heat warning was in place for the high desert, with temperatures potentially reaching 112 degrees in the Antelope Valley and 120 in the Mojave Desert. Temperatures could hit 108 in the Central Valley and the low 100s in the hottest parts of the Bay Area.
“If a fire starts, there is a high risk of rapid fire growth with increased potential of plume-dominated behavior across the interior valleys, mountains and deserts,” said the National Weather Service office in Oxnard. “Hot and unstable conditions will result in an enhanced risk of large vertical plume growth, increasing the risk of extreme fire behavior for interior areas.”
Forecasters warned of elevated fire weather conditions in interior valleys, mountains and deserts across L.A., Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties.
The warnings come as a brush fire — the Ridge fire — temporarily forced a closure of the Grapevine section of the 5 Freeway on Friday evening and triggered an evacuation order in the Gorman area. After burning at least 1,000 acres, officials also issued a smoke advisory for the surrounding area.
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