Strong Santa Ana winds are heading for Los Angeles County. While USC students may not see the full effects of the winds in the city, there are red flag warnings that have been put into effect in Los Angeles mountain and valley locations.
The warning is going to last from 9 a.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Saturday. ABC 7 reports that winds are expected to reach 55 mph in the mountains and up to 45 mph in coastal and valley areas.
According to the National Weather Service, one criterion for a red flag warning is winds 20 feet off the ground and speeds of at least 15 mph for several hours. The intense winds combined with dry weather conditions make it easy for a fire to ignite and spread rapidly.
Following the hot summer season, the Santa Ana wind season typically occurs starting in September and can last up until March.
“Santa Ana Winds occur when air from a region of high pressure over the dry, desert region of the southwestern U.S. flows westward towards low pressure located off the California coast. This creates dry winds that flow east to west through the mountain passages in Southern California,” according to the National Weather Service.
Due to the red flag warning, the red flag no parking restriction is being put into effect on Friday at 8 a.m. in Los Angeles. The program is meant to increase public safety by removing cars illegally parked in very high fire hazard severity zones. The restrictions have been put into place so that in the event of an emergency people evacuate and first responders can quickly move through. The program was created as a response to citizens becoming trapped in their vehicles while attempting to evacuate fires.
“We’re going to have two, three engine task forces that are going to be pre-deployed at select neighborhood fire stations that are in or near areas that are prone to wildfires,” Los Angeles Fire Department Captain Erik Scott said in a statement.
In high-risk areas, residents are being advised to avoid any actions that could ignite a grass fire. Lawnmowers, use of power tools outdoors, campfires, or BBQs should not be used because even the smallest spark can mark the beginning of a devastating wildfire. According to the National Park Service, almost 85 percent of wildfires are human-caused.