Southern California in ‘uncharted territory’ as fires return all next week

A new wave of fires could last much of next week in Southern California, bringing new dangers as Pacific Palisades, Altadena and surrounding communities struggle to assess the damage from earlier devastating wildfires of the month.

“Ultimately, we’re in uncharted territory this deep in the winter or wet season,” with almost no rain, said Alex Tardy, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in San Diego.

After generally calm winds over the weekend, the fires are expected to return Monday, with a peak threat arriving Tuesday but could persist through Thursday, forecasters said. Red flag fire weather warnings appear likely for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Oxnard.

All of these fires are occurring in the midst of a record and ongoing drought. The last day that downtown Los Angeles received more than a tenth of an inch of rain in a single day was May 5. Since May 6, there hasn’t been a single day with a tenth of an inch of rain. or more, for 257 days or more.

It’s a record for downtown: The last time downtown Los Angeles was without at least a tenth of an inch of rain was for 253 consecutive days, between February 25, 2008 and on November 3, 2008.

And across Southern California, records were broken as it marked the driest start to a water year on record. During the three-and-a-half month period beginning October 1, so little rain fell that it was the driest period for that period for Los Angeles International Airport, UCLA, Van Nuys, Woodland Hills and Camarillo.

For downtown Los Angeles, only 0.16 inches of rain has fallen since the water year began on October 1. The average annual rainfall since October 1 for downtown Los Angeles over the same period is 5.78 inches, meaning that downtown Los Angeles has received only 3% of the precipitation that the city receives on average water at this time of year.

The severe drought, combined with Santa Ana winds week after week, is unusual.

Moderate winds in Santa Ana are currently forecast for Monday and Tuesday, with gusts of 30 mph to 50 mph expected in the Santa Ana wind corridors of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Maximum wind gusts on Monday and Tuesday could reach 32 mph in Lancaster, 33 mph in Canoga Park, 39 mph in Oxnard and Beaumont, 44 mph in Pyramid Lake, 47 mph in Fillmore, 48 mph in Santa Clarita and 51 mph in Acton .

The Santa Ana winds, Schoenfeld said, are expected to come from the east to northeast, “primarily affecting the northern and western parts of Los Angeles County and much of Ventura County,” Schoenfeld said. With gusts of 30 mph to 50 mph, and up to about 60 mph around the mountains, “This would lead to rapid local fire growth with any new fires,” Schoenfeld said.

The air should also be very dry. Relative humidity Tuesday could reach up to 5% in Thousand Oaks, Oxnard, Canoga Park, Fillmore, Santa Clarita, Acton and Pyramid Lake. “This would lead to rapid local fire growth with any new fires,” Schoenfeld said.

The forecast will become clearer in the coming days.

The Palisades and Eaton fires have burned more than 11,000 structures and killed at least 27 people. As of Saturday morning, the Palisades Fire, which has burned 23,713 acres, was 43% contained as of Saturday morning, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire, which charred 14,117 acres, was 73% contained.

Meanwhile, the search for missing fire victims continues.