Dangerous winds returned to Southern California on Tuesday as new wildfires broke out and a pair of major Los Angeles-area blazes burned for a third week, while officials made preparations to protect scorched neighborhoods from toxic ash runoff ahead of potential rain this weekend.
Forecasters cautioned that gusts could peak at 70 mph (113 kph) along the coast and 100 mph (160 kph) in mountains and foothills during extreme fire weather that鈥檚 expected to last through Tuesday afternoon.
The National Weather Service warned of a 鈥� particularly dangerous situation 鈥� across Los Angeles, Ventura and San Diego counties due to low humidity and powerful Santa Ana winds. Gusts will ease later in the day, but windy conditions are expected into Thursday.
Fire engines and water-dropping aircraft positioned across the region allowed crews to swiftly douse several small blazes that popped up over the holiday weekend, said David Acuna, a spokesman with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
鈥淥ur concern is the next fire, the next spark that causes the next wildfire,鈥� Acuna said Tuesday. He said another worry was that the two major blazes, the Palisades and Eaton fires near Los Angeles, could break their containment lines.
Evacuations were ordered Tuesday when the Friars Fire broke out near a San Diego mall and flames ran up a hillside toward residences, Cal Fire said.
Meanwhile, evacuation orders were lifted for the Lilac Fire in the Bonsall area of San Diego County, which burned at least 85 acres (34 hectares) of dry brush after threatening structures, the agency said. Nearby, crews fully contained the 17-acre (34-hectare) Pala Fire.
As a small number of residents were allowed to return to the devastated Pacific Palisades area, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday to expedite cleanup efforts in burn areas and mitigate the environmental impacts of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, install barriers and reinforce roads ahead of possible rain this weekend that could create mud and debris flows.
鈥淭his is to prevent additional damage to areas already ravaged by fire, and also to protect our watershed, beaches and ocean from toxic runoff,鈥� Bass said during a news conference.
Bass also warned that winds could disperse ash and urged Angelenos to visit lacity.gov to learn about ways to protect themselves from toxic air during the latest Santa Ana wind event.
There鈥檚 a 60% to 80% chance of a small amount of rain for Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely getting not more than a third of an inch (0.8 cm), said Ryan Kittell, a meteorologist for the weather service鈥檚 LA office. However up to an inch (2 1/2 cm) of rain could fall during localized thunderstorms, which would be a 鈥渨orst-case scenario鈥� if it鈥檚 enough to trigger debris flows on scorched hillsides, he said.
鈥淏ut even if the rain doesn鈥檛 materialize this time, it could be a good practice run for those communities because this will be a threat that they鈥檒l have to deal with for months or years,鈥� Kittell said Tuesday.
Los Angeles firefighters on Monday quickly extinguished a small brush fire near the iconic Griffith Observatory in a sprawling park overlooking the city. A man suspected of starting the fire was taken into custody, LA police said. Fire crews also quickly extinguished a small blaze near Tujunga and another one along Interstate 405 in the Granada Hills neighborhood that temporarily closed northbound lanes.
Southern California Edison said it had preemptively shut off power to more than 61,000 customers in five counties to prevent winds from toppling electrical equipment and sparking new fires. The utility said it was considering precautionary shutoffs for an additional 251,00 customers.
Authorities urged residents to review evacuation plans and prepare emergency kits, and be on the lookout for fires and report them quickly.
The low humidity, bone-dry vegetation and strong winds come as firefighters continue battling the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have killed at least 27 people and destroyed more than 14,000 structures since they broke out Jan. 7. The Palisades Fire was 61% contained and containment of the Eaton Fire reached 87%.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff flew to Los Angeles Monday after attending President Donald Trump鈥檚 inauguration and met with firefighters, volunteers and victims of the Eaton Fire in Altadena.
鈥淲e just came out to thank (firefighters), to thank the community and just remind folks that we鈥檙e all in this together,鈥� 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.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday said the devastation left by the fires underscores the need for partnership between the state and federal governments.
鈥淚 look forward to President Trump鈥檚 visit to Los Angeles and his mobilization of the full weight of the federal government to help our fellow Americans recover and rebuild,鈥� Newsom said in a statement.
