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Hot SoCal winds mean 'extreme' fire danger this weekend

The Madre Fire burns in the hills above Azusa on Monday, Sept. 23.
File: The Madre Fire burns in the hills above Azusa on Monday, Sept. 23.
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Enjoy the overcast Wednesday morning? The weather may be mild right now, but a change is coming that signals an increased risk of wildfire.

Dry air coming off the desert will push the marine layer back to its watery lair after Thursday. Strong gusty winds are in the forecast for the mountains and inland valleys, accompanied by a sharp drop in humidity levels to single digits.

The scenario of hot winds combined with extremely dry fuel conditions has the National Weather Service warning of the potential for "extreme" fire danger late Thursday night through Saturday, with Santa Ana winds gusting up to 55 miles an hour in local mountains.

Friday's highs in the valleys are set to climb to around 90 degrees — even higher Saturday. Relief may come with a cooling trend that is in the forecast for early next week.

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