Los Angeles is once again under a dangerous red flag for extreme fire danger this week

Santa Ana winds will hit the Los Angeles area again this week, bringing extreme risk of rapid fire spread as the region continues to dampen deadly wildfires that sparked under similar conditions earlier this month .

The highest red flag warning – a particularly dangerous situation alert – is in place from noon Monday local time (3 p.m. ET) through 10 a.m. Tuesday (1 p.m. ET) for much of Ventura and from Los Angeles.

A particularly hazardous situation warning is rarely used and warns of extreme risk of fire spread due to dry conditions and low humidity. This is the fifth document released in just three months since November. The National Weather Service typically only issues a PDS Red Flag Warning once every four years. Before the November 2024 issue, the last one dated from 2020.

The event is expected to bring peak wind gusts of 50 to 70 mph to coasts and valleys and gusts of 60 to 100 mph to the mountains and foothills.

The area of ​​greatest concern extends from Ventura County down to Malibu on the west coast, through the San Fernando Valley to Big Pines and Pomona in the east.

Very strong Santa Ana winds – dry, warm, gusty winds that blow from southern California’s interior toward the coast – will develop Monday and continue at least through Tuesday. At the same time, humidity levels will “drop significantly into the single digits,” the National Weather Service office in Los Angeles warned.

Winds, low humidity and extremely dry vegetation will create “extremely critical fire weather conditions” and rapid fire spread if fires ignite.

A Red Flag Warning is in effect due to strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity for all other hours from 8 a.m. Monday until 10 p.m. Tuesday in the same areas.

The warnings cover the Santa Clarita Valley, Ventura County beaches, inland coast and central valleys; the Malibu Coast, the western Santa Monica Mountains, the Calabasas and Agoura Hills, the San Fernando Valleys, the Santa Susana Mountains, and the San Gabriel Mountains and Valley.

A Fire Weather Watch remains in effect Tuesday evening through Thursday evening due to gusty Santa Ana winds and very low relative humidity for much of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The weather service encouraged residents to prepare an evacuation plan, pack essentials in an emergency bag, charge necessary electronics and lighting devices, fill gas tanks of cars and generators and to secure all loose exterior objects.

Wind gusts from this event are expected to be lower than the winds that hit the region earlier this month and sparked the Palisades and Eaton fires on January 7.

The Palisades Fire is 23,713 acres, has destroyed more than 12,000 structures and is 56% contained as of Monday.

Meanwhile, to the east, the Eaton Fire has razed 14,021 acres, destroyed more than 9,000 structures in Eaton Canyon, Pasadena and Altadena, and was 81% contained as of Monday morning.

The fires have killed at least 27 people, triggered mass evacuations, blanketed the Los Angeles area with smoky smog and poor air quality, and sparked criticism of government preparedness.

On Sunday, Governor Gavin Newsom announced he was mobilizing and prepositioning more than 130 fire trucks, water tankers and aircraft to Southern California due to the weather warning.

“The recent firestorms in Los Angeles have illustrated the importance of being in the right place at the right time. By strategically placing specialized personnel and equipment in wildfire-prone areas, crews are able to respond faster and more aggressively. These conditions are dangerous, so it is up to all families to remain vigilant,” Newsom said in a statement.

As thousands of people and equipment continue to respond to fires in the Los Angeles area, the state is increasing additional resources, the governor’s office said.