California warned of wildfire risk due to heat and wind — The Guardian

The US National Weather Service has warned of critical weather conditions for the spread of wildfires in California. Strong, dry Santa Ana winds and high temperatures could contribute to the rapid spread of fire in the coming days, The Guardian reports.

Winds of up to 70 mph

Moderate to strong Santa Ana winds are expected across much of Southern California through Saturday. Wind speeds may range from 20 to 40 mph, or 32 to 64 km/h. Gusts of up to 50–70 mph are possible in the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles County and the Santa Susana Mountains, most of which are located in Ventura County.

Critical fire conditions are also forecast in parts of the Santa Lucia Mountains in San Luis Obispo County. The weather service separately issued warnings for areas of Central and Northern California, where fires could spread rapidly, according to its assessment.

More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.

Power outages and agency preparations

In Northern California, energy company Pacific Gas and Electric began preemptively shutting off power on Wednesday evening to reduce the risk of fires caused by power lines. On Thursday, nearly 62,000 of its customers in 26 counties remained without electricity. Dangerous weather conditions there were expected through Saturday.

The Los Angeles Fire Department increased staffing and pre-positioned equipment to prepare for possible fires. The California Office of Emergency Services also stepped up coordination and prepared resources to assist local authorities.

The current warnings came after the start of autumn, which has already brought intense heat, high waves and coastal flooding to the state. Climatologist Daniel Swain said the likelihood of a wet winter in Southern California is very high, and significant fire activity this week could increase risks in the coming months.