Santa Ana winds forecast to gust up to 70 mph will barrel through the Santa Monica Mountains starting Thursday morning, bringing extreme wildfire danger to surrounding communities including parts of Santa Monica.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning effective 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, through 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16. The warning covers the western and eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, the Santa Susana Mountains, the San Gabriel Mountains and several freeway corridors.
Forecasters expect northeast-to-east winds of 20 to 40 mph, with isolated gusts reaching 70 mph in the windiest corridors. Winds are expected to peak Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon before tapering off over the weekend.
An incoming dry air mass will evaporate moisture left by former Tropical Storm Rachel, dropping relative humidity to between 8% and 20%. The NWS warned that any fire ignition under those conditions could produce extreme wildfire behavior threatening life and property. Some of the windiest areas may see dangerous conditions linger into Saturday.
Power shutoffs possible
Southern California Edison (SCE) may cut power to parts of central and west Malibu as early as midnight Thursday to prevent its equipment from sparking fires, according to a City of Malibu emergency alert. The shutoffs would affect the Cuthbert, Galahad, Maguire and Merlin circuits.
As of Tuesday, Oct. 13, more than 37,700 SCE customers across Los Angeles County were being considered for possible power cuts, the Orange County Register reported. That number may have changed. Power restoration after a shutoff can take eight or more hours, because crews must inspect lines and equipment before restoring service.
What residents should do
The NWS urged residents near wildland boundaries to avoid any activity that could spark a fire, review personal evacuation plans and prepare for power outages. Malibu officials advised that elderly residents, people with disabilities, those dependent on medical devices, and horse owners should consider leaving early if fire threatens.
Santa Monica residents can sign up for the city's emergency notification system, SMAlerts, by texting "SMAlerts" to 888-777. Visitors can text "SMVISIT" to the same number for temporary 30-day alerts. The city's Office of Emergency Management also recommends creating a profile on Community Connect, which shares household information with the Santa Monica Fire Department before an emergency.
LA County residents outside Santa Monica can sign up for Alert LA County notifications at ready.lacounty.gov.
Heat advisories take effect at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, and continue through Saturday for the Malibu Coast and Los Angeles County beaches, with highs expected in the upper 80s to mid-90s.
No advisory specific to this Red Flag Warning had been posted by the Santa Monica Fire Department or the city's Office of Emergency Management as of Wednesday, Oct. 14.
