Powerful new winds threaten progress as recovery efforts in LA move forward
Los Angeles County Sheriff Rob Luna: Red Flag Warnings, High Winds, Low Humidity, and High Angular Momentum in the Presence of Wildfires
There are red flag warnings for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Wednesday, and the wind storm is not expected to be as strong.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the number of people under an order to evacuate has dropped to 92,000, with 89,000 people under warnings. High winds will return over the next few days, and new warnings and orders are expected to be issued.
The winds along with extremely dry conditions and low humidity will lead to a “particularly dangerous situation,” with red flag warning conditions by late Monday night through Wednesday morning, according to the National Weather Service.
The Angeles National Forest and San Gabriel Mountain National Monument, which were temporarily closed to the public due to fires broke out last week, will remain closed through Sunday due to critical fire danger.
Support is provided by sports in other ways. All 12 of LA’s professional teams have pledged to donate $8 million to wildfire victims and first responders.
“It’s our job to go give strength, and give hope and give joy,” said Lakers coach JJ Redick, who lost his home in the Palisades Fire. Sports can provide a lot of things, including an escape and a distraction, and hopefully sports tonight can provide some joy as well.
LA teams were involved in last week’s postponed NBA, NCAA and NFL games. The Lakers and Clippers resumed their seasons on Monday.
The Los Angeles Unified School District Fire Department is urging residents to keep their phones charged during outages during the high-risk periods of fires
On Tuesday, an announcement was delayed due to the effects of the fires and the fact that Bey would donate $2.5 million to relief funds.
The Academy Awards nominations were supposed to be announced last Friday, but have since been delayed twice. The fires have impacted Hollywood stars and halted film production.
Most of the schools and offices of the Los Angeles Unified School District reopened — with limited outdoor and athletic activities — on Monday, though some schools in hard-hit areas remain closed.
It is asking customers in high-risk areas to be prepared for possible prolonged outages, potentially over 48 hours, by keeping their phones charged and a portable charger, flashlight and extra batteries nearby.
Authorities are warning residents to monitor emergency alerts and take precautions to avoid starting any fires. Those include not using lawnmowers on dry vegetation, ensuring trailer chains do not drag on the ground and never throwing cigarettes or matches out of a vehicle.
Additional steps may be taken by the county. The red flag warning may cause the LA Department of Water and Power to take preventative measures, such as de-energing power lines.
The National Weather Service issues a rare warning of fire weather conditions that can lead to large and dangerous fires.
The area of Southern California has a red flag alert in place as more extreme winds are expected to impact the region and deadly fires continue to burn.
The fires have placed hundreds of thousands of residents under evacuation orders and warnings, forcing many to flee their homes and risking the lives of those staying behind. The LA County Medical Examiner is investigating a total of 24 fire-related deaths as of Monday afternoon, 16 from the Eaton Fire and eight from the Palisades Fire.
The Hurst Fire, which also started last Tuesday, is at 97% containment after burning almost 800 acres. The Auto Fire has burned about 56 acres in nearby Ventura County since it broke out late Monday. Firemen stopped its forward progress and have not yet contained it.
“Seminarily dangerous situation” in NWS forecasts for flash floods and re-emerging jets in the early 1990s
The NWS Weather Prediction Center has used the term “particularly dangerous situation” since the 1980s. Since then it’s been utilized for flash flood watches to signal more extreme events.
