Full Breakdown
First Seasonal Santa Ana Winds Heighten Fire Danger Across Los Angeles County
By Drooid · · How we work
Meteorological Outlook
The season’s initial Santa Ana wind event is set to begin Wednesday, intensify Thursday, and continue through Friday. The National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kittell (Oxnard) forecasts sustained winds of 20 – 40 mph with gusts of 40 – 60 mph across most of Southern California; mountain ridges could see gusts up to 70 mph.
Recent Fire Activity
A brush fire ignited around 2:50 a.m. Wednesday in Brentwood, near the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs West Los Angeles campus. Firefighters contained the blaze after it burned roughly 1.5 acres; no injuries or structural damage were reported. The cause remains under investigation.
Utility Power-Shutoff Preparations
Southern California Edison (SCE) indicated that, because of the heightened wildfire risk, it may implement public-safety power shutoffs on four major circuits beginning Thursday at midnight. The utility’s dashboard shows consideration of shutoffs for more than 220,000 customers—about 4.5 % of its total service area—in Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and Ventura counties. The city of Malibu and the city of Calabasas have each issued statements that SCE might cut power in their jurisdictions as early as Wednesday. San Diego Gas & Electric reported no planned shutoffs at this time.
Official Statements & Responses
- Ryan Kittell warned that the wind itself could cause downed power lines, outages, road hazards, and general nuisance, and added that “there’s a high risk for heat illness Thursday through Saturday.”
