Intense Santa Ana winds made a comeback in Southern California on Tuesday, leading to a red flag warning across extensive areas of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, while also intensifying the flames of a wildfire in Jurupa Valley that ignited around 8 p.m.
The Jurupa Valley fire, referred to as the Soto fire, originated at the intersection of Soto Street and Sedona Drive and expanded to 30 acres by 9 p.m., as reported by the Riverside County Fire Department. Evacuation orders were issued for several nearby residential areas, and a care and reception center was established at Patriot High School.
On Tuesday afternoon, Santa Ana winds began to strengthen in the Inland Empire, with gusts anticipated to exceed 40 mph overnight, according to the National Weather Service.
In Malibu, the high winds are creating additional challenges for firefighters battling the Franklin fire.
As of Tuesday afternoon, the blaze had burned over 4,000 acres and was 78% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Fire crews have strategically positioned resources in anticipation that the new wave of Santa Ana winds may cause the fire to spread again.
Southern California Edison alerted customers in Malibu to brace for possible power outages on Tuesday evening to mitigate the risk of igniting wildfires. Topanga Canyon Boulevard, a major thoroughfare linking Malibu to the San Fernando Valley, was closed to non-residents on Tuesday afternoon due to wildfire threats and will remain closed for the duration of the red flag warning, as announced by Caltrans.
The Franklin fire ignited on December 10 during a rare “particularly dangerous situation” warning, characterized by critically low humidity levels in the single digits and wind gusts reaching up to 75 mph. The current red flag warning pertains to a less severe Santa Ana wind event, with gusts ranging from 40 to 60 mph and humidity levels between 10% and 20%, according to the National Weather Service.
“A standard red flag warning is still extremely hazardous, but it won’t be as dry or as windy,” stated weather service meteorologist Carol Smith. “If a fire does occur, we still anticipate rapid growth and severe fire behavior.”
The red flag warning took effect at 3 p.m. on Tuesday and encompasses most of Ventura County and the western portion of Los Angeles County. The strongest wind gusts are expected in the Santa Monica, Santa Susanna, and San Gabriel mountain ranges.
