LOS ANGELES – A windy and dry Saturday across Southern California kept firefighters busy with several blazes that broke out in communities around Los Angeles.
Ahead of the conducive fire weather, the National Weather Service issued red flag and high wind alerts and warned that the combination of Sundowner and Santa Ana winds could lead to the rapid spread of wildfires.
Emergency services in Ventura County said it expected winds to reach 40-60 mph on Saturday, and power shutoffs were likely in order to prevent electrical lines from sparking new blazes.
Firefighters worked through Saturday to try to control the South Fire in Ventura County and the Elm Fire in Riverside County.
The South Fire burned at least 300 acres in just a few hours and forced the evacuation of residents in the Somis area, which is about an hour’s drive northwest of Los Angeles.
As of Saturday afternoon, over 100 firefighters were working to contain the fire, and its official cause had not been determined.
“We have a hundred firefighters on scene and are attacking the fire from both the ground and air. We have multiple helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft working to surpass the fire,” stated Andy VanSciver, a public information officer at the Ventura County Fire Department.
CALIFORNIA COMPANY USING ANIMALS TO REDUCE WILDFIRE DANGERS
On the other side of Los Angeles, the Elm Fire grew at a much slower rate near the town of Cabazon.
CAL FIRE reported the blaze in Riverside County started as a vegetation fire and grew to about 50 acres.
Firefighters used both ground and air resources to attack the flames, and there were no immediate reports of any homes threatened.
Forecasters warned the risk of increased fire danger would last through Sunday but return by midweek with another episode of strong Santa Ana winds.
WHAT ARE THE SANTA ANA AND DIABLO WINDS?
Relatively speaking, the Golden State is sitting pretty when it comes to facing drought conditions.
As of the latest U.S. Drought Monitor report, less than 4% of the state was unusually dry, and, at least for the year, no communities were officially in a drought.
A series of atmospheric river events that are a product of El Niño are expected to keep the state in a rainy pattern through the winter season.
The increased precipitation comes on the heels of a record-breaking snowpack during the 2022-23 season.
More than a dozen atmospheric river events during the winter months erased much of the state’s short-term drought.