Stronger winds could complicate wildfire fight

VENTURA, CALIF. — Southern California has felt yellow wind, orange wind, and red wind. But never purple wind. Until now.

The colour-coded system showing the expected strength of the winds driving the region’s fierce wildfires has reached uncharted territory, pushing past red, which means “high” into the colour that means “extreme.”

The forecast for Thursday was purple.

“We’ve never used purple before,” said Ken Pimlott, director at the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

Southern California has already been hit hard by three major fires that have put tens of thousands of people under evacuation orders and destroyed at nearly 200 homes and buildings, a figure that is almost certain to grow.

But the hard-won progress of firefighters could be erased Thursday.

“We’re talking winds that can surface that can be 80 miles an hour,” Pimlott said.

“These will be winds that there will be no ability to fight fires.”

Such winds can instantly turn a tiny fire into a large one, or carry embers that spark new fires kilometres away.

Millions of cellphones buzzed loudly Tuesday night from San Diego to Santa Barbara with a sound that usually means an Amber Alert, but this time meant a rare weather warning for strong winds making extreme fire danger.

Officials hope the electronic push will keep the whole region alert and keep the death toll from the week’s fires at zero.