LOS ANGELES – Large areas of California are bracing for fire weather starting Thursday, with thousands of residents potentially losing power as utility companies take precautions to prevent wildfires amid hot and windy conditions expected to last through Saturday.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has faced criticism regarding the city’s response to deadly fires in 2025. In light of the upcoming weather, she has instructed the fire department to deploy personnel and equipment proactively. The department is also seeking assistance from the state’s office of emergency services.
Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, emphasized the seriousness of the situation, stating, “It’s a pretty widespread event of elevated fire weather, so the whole SoCal region should really be on alert.” The forecast predicts dry, warm, and gusty northeast winds known as Santa Anas, which typically flow from the interior of Southern California towards the coast.
These winds are expected to be particularly strong from Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon, reaching speeds of 20 to 40 mph (32 to 64 kph), with gusts of 50 to 70 mph (80 to 113 kph) in areas like the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains. Brief but critical fire weather conditions are also anticipated in parts of the Santa Lucia mountains in San Luis Obispo County.
Dangerous conditions have already begun in Northern California, where communities in the Sierra Nevada and its foothills experienced strong winds, high temperatures, and low humidity starting Wednesday night. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for parts of central and Northern California, indicating that any ignited fires would spread rapidly.
Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) has notified 88,000 customers across 29 counties about potential power shutoffs intended to reduce the risk of wildfires caused by downed power lines. Some customers began experiencing these shutoffs Wednesday night, and the interruptions could last through Saturday afternoon.
In Southern California, a Red Flag Warning is in effect for mountainous areas in Ventura and Los Angeles counties from Thursday morning through Friday night. Fire Chief Jaime Moore stated, “We are augmenting our staffing, positioning our people, and pre-deploying equipment ahead of this weather so we are ready before the first call comes in.” He urged residents to clear the streets, have a plan in place, and stay informed.
The memory of the devastating Palisades Fire in January 2025 still looms large, which was fueled by Santa Ana winds and resulted in the loss of 12 lives and destruction of numerous properties. Another concurrent fire in Altadena caused 19 fatalities and devastated over 9,400 homes and businesses. While Schoenfeld noted that the upcoming Santa Ana winds will not be as strong as those during the 2025 fires, the risk remains significant.
Authorities ruled that the Palisades Fire was a carryover from the Lachman Fire. Another fire, the Eaton Fire, was linked to sparks from an idle transmission tower owned by Southern California Edison. On Wednesday, Southern California Edison indicated they were considering public safety shutoffs that might affect 245,000 customers in several counties, including Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura, with the majority in Ventura County.
