Firefighters quickly extinguished several brush fires that erupted Monday in Southern California amid windy and dry conditions. The extreme fire weather is raising the risk of new wildfires like the two major blazes that started two weeks ago and are still burning in the Los Angeles area.
Gusts could peak at 70 mph along the coast and 100 mph in the mountains and foothills during extreme fire weather that is expected to last through Tuesday.
The National Weather Service issued a warning of a “particularly dangerous situation ” for parts of Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties from Monday afternoon through Tuesday morning due to low humidity and damaging Santa Ana winds.
“The conditions are ripe for explosive fire growth should a fire start,” said Andrew Rorke, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
On Monday afternoon, Los Angeles fire crews quickly put out a small brush fire that broke out south of the iconic triple-domed Griffith Observatory. A man suspected of starting the fire was taken into custody, said David Cuellar, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesman. Firefighters also quickly extinguished a brush fire along Interstate 405 in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Granada Hills that temporarily closed the northbound lanes.
Farther south, fire crews aggressively fought a blaze that also sparked Monday afternoon in the city of Poway, in San Diego County, and stopped its forward progress.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris, and her husband Doug Emhoff, flew to Los Angeles after attending President Donald Trump’s inauguration and met with firefighters, volunteers and victims of the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
“We just came out to thank (firefighters), to thank the community and just remind folks that we’re all in this together,” Harris said. She said their home in Pacific Palisades was still standing.
Trump, who criticized the response to the wildfires during his inaugural address, has said he will travel to Los Angeles on Friday.
Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said the devastation left by the blazes underscores the need for partnership between the state and federal governments.
“I look forward to President Trump’s visit to Los Angeles and his mobilization of the full weight of the federal government to help our fellow Americans recover and rebuild,” Newsom said in a statement.
A small amount of rain is forecast for the weekend in the Los Angeles area, though more gusty winds are expected to return Thursday, Rorke said.
Authorities urged people not to mow their lawns to prevent sparking a fire, nor start any fires that could get out of control. They also urged residents to review their evacuation plans and ready emergency kits and be on the lookout for any new blazes and report them quickly.
The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong Santa Ana winds come as firefighters continue to battle two major blazes in the Los Angeles area, the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out during fierce winds on Jan. 7. The Palisades fire was 59% contained on Monday and the Eaton fire 87% contained.
More evacuation orders were lifted Monday for Pacific Palisades and authorities said only residents would be allowed to get back in.