The National Weather Service, in an ominous new advisory, issued a rare "extreme red flag warning" for Southern California through Thursday evening. The warning stated winds could top 80 mph and be the strongest in more than a decade.
Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA and the National Center for Atmospheric Research, said the magnitude of the wind gusts is indeed going to be a "concern."
He explained the actual winds that people experience really would be "quite extreme" everywhere except for the wind-sheltered parts of downtown and central Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Police Department would be on "tactical alert" to assist with the evacuations when needed. The Fire Department will likewise provide more resources and additional staff in wildfire-prone areas.
Chad Thompson, a battalion chief with Anaheim Fire and Rescue, said in an ABC7 report that increasing the number of staff and placing them in strategic locations would help firefighters be prepared.
"Upstaffing the engines, the patrols and overhead - that is going to mission-task us with additional resources, faster, earlier to hopefully keep fires small," he said.
Statewide emergency still on effect
California Governor Gavin Newsom recently declared a statewide emergency as wildfires spread throughout California. The fire churned tens of thousands of acres and forcing evacuations of more than 180,000 people - including those displaced by the massive Kincade fire in Northern California.
The fedral government has been responsive to California's needs, Newsom said. "FEMA has been extraordinary," he added. The California Governor also shared that Trump's administration had been "extraordinarily supportive and helpful," and that they grant every requests.
"It's all about mutuality and [humanity]," Newsom underscored. He noted that people are focused on helping each other instead of focusing on the differences.
Santa Ana winds are the 'worst' in 2019 - officials
Newsom also announced that a total of 43 counties in California are experiencing red-flag warnings or historic wind events. "It's been a long week," he said.
Forecasters said that the Santa Ana winds are sweeping between 50 mph and 70 mph. Isolated gusts up to 80 mph in Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains are presumed to come late Tuesday and last throughout Thursday evening.
The National Weather Service prompted to warn the public of the high potential for "very rapid fire spread, long-range spotting and extreme fire behavior with any new fire ignitions due to the wind speeds".
National Weather Service meteorologist Tom Fisher, in a Los Angeles Times report, said California had the "worst" situation this year since the state had series of wildefires in October 2007.
A series of fires broke out across Southern California during the 2007 weather pattern, which charred more than 198,000 acres. The wildfire destroyed a total of 1,500 homes, injured 40 firefighters, and caused two deaths. The Witch fire in San Diego County led the state's major utility to spend around US$1.5 billion to upgrate the grid to avoid creating further fires.
Causes of Santa Ana Winds
Santa Ana winds are "strong, dry downslope winds" currently affecting both Northern and Southern California. These winds are caused by clockwise air circulation around sections of high pressure surfaces east of the Sierra Nevada located in the Great Basin region. The offshore winds happen usually during the fall season. It could likelwise occur during other seasons.
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