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It’s Extreme Fire Weather Time. Are You Prepped and Ready to Leave?
The Thomas Fire advances toward Santa Barbara seaside communities on December 10, 2017 (David Mcnew/AFP via Getty Images)
Especially intense winds are creating a “particularly dangerous situation” that starts today, peaks Thursday and runs through Saturday, according to the National Weather Service in Oxnard.
***Fire Weather Update***
— NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) December 2, 2020
The strong NE winds today and Thu will weaken Fri into Sat, but very dry conds with Critical Fire Danger will persist through Fri/Sat and potentially into early next week! Please be extra vigilant w/any source of fire!! #CAwx #CAfire #SOCal pic.twitter.com/RemzHFYaZN
With estimated wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour, humidity in the single digits, and critically dry vegetation that have yet to get much needed precipitation, the stage is set for a large, fast-moving fire.
Things are looking bad when it comes to wind-driven wildfire risk. We’ve now entered the peak of Santa Ana wind season – which will run through January – but until we get substantial moisture we’ll remain vulnerable.
The red flag conditions are similar to those that brought on the Thomas Fire back in early December 2017, and burned all of the way into January, becoming one of California's largest wildfires on record.
If you live in an area prone to burning you should be prepared to leave at a moment’s notice.
We’ve put together a brief guide of what you should do in advance of the high winds tonight.
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READ MORE ABOUT WHAT TO PREP:
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