Hot, dry weekend weather raises fire concerns
High winds, such as those that contributed to the Laguna Niguel blaze, are expected.
A warming trend that continued across Southern California Friday and is expected to stretch into the weekend is bringing dangerous fire conditions, forecasters warned.
Although winds are much weaker than they were during the middle of the week, gusts of 20 to 30 mph are expected in the valleys, and gusts of 40 to 45 mph are expected in the mountains, officials said.
Meanwhile, humidity levels are continuing to drop, the National Weather Service reported.
“What we’re seeing is elevated to brief critical fire weather conditions for a couple days, mainly in the inland, foothill areas, mountains and Santa Clarita Valley, with some gusty winds at times,” said Joe Sirard, a meteorologist with the weather service who is based in Oxnard.
The weather service issued a high-wind warning for the eastern range of the Santa Ynez Mountains, where damaging gusts of up to 65 mph could blow down large objects.
Wind advisories also are in effect for the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, with gusts up to 55 mph expected.
Temperatures soared into the 80s and 90s Friday in most regions across Southern California.
The heat wave follows cooler conditions earlier this week that were fueled, in part, by strong offshore winds.
The gusts whipped a small brush fire in Laguna Niguel into a fast-moving conflagration that destroyed 20 multimilliondollar homes Wednesday.
Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Greg Barta said the Laguna Niguel blaze spread through dry brush that had been parched by drought, and the wind helped spread embers across the exclusive beachside neighborhood.
Sunny and clear skies are expected across Southern California on Saturday, which will see the hottest temperatures. A slight cooldown is expected Sunday.