The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties as the Santa Ana winds return on Saturday.
NWS meteorologists expect gusts to start around 2 a.m. Saturday and end later that day at 6 p.m. Low humidity and hot temperatures will accompany them, raising the risk of wildfires. If a fire does spark, it may grow rapidly.
They urged residents to avoid anything that may start a fire, review their evacuation plans and to be aware of their surroundings.
In addition, NWS expects isolated down trees and power outages in both counties.
National Weather Service
Los Angeles County officials urged residents to prepare for public safety power shutoffs on Saturday and unplanned outages caused by wind damage.
These outages can disrupt a range of services, including communications, traffic signals and medical equipment.
Caltrans, LA County Sheriff’s and Public Works departments plan to restrict access to Mulholland Highway and Pacific Coast Highway through Topanga Canyon Boulevard, only allowing residents to pass through during the red flag warning.
“Ahead of the high fire danger, the County of Los Angeles Fire Department has augmented staffing and pre-positioned ground and aerial resources across Los Angeles County,” said LA County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone. “With strong winds capable of driving rapid wildfire growth, we urge residents to be prepared.”
NWS also issued a coastal advisory for Orange County for this weekend. A beach hazard statement is also in effect for LA and Ventura counties.