Santa Ana Winds Bring Elevated Fire Risks to Southern California

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Southern California is bracing for hot conditions and the first Santa Ana winds of the season this week, signaling the start of the fall wildfire season as the region recovers from January’s devastating firestorms.

According to meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld from the National Weather Service, the winds are expected to arrive between Monday night and Tuesday morning, bringing elevated fire risks to the Santa Clarita and San Fernando Valley foothills.

While no red flag warnings have been issued yet, October typically marks the beginning of fire season, and the recent warming trend will push temperatures across the Los Angeles Basin and Santa Clarita Valley into the upper 80s and low 90s, which is 10 to 15 degrees above normal for this time of year.

“I don’t think we can safely declare fire season over—especially with a prolonged period of anomalously warm and dry conditions coming up,” said UCLA climate scientist Daniel Swaim. He noted that while Northern California has seen a decrease in fire danger due to wet conditions, Southern California remains at risk.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for L.A. County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire from 10 a.m. Tuesday until 7 p.m. Wednesday, with Tuesday and Wednesday set to be the hottest days of the week.

Captain David Dantic of the L.A. County Fire Department stated that his agency will closely monitor the situation, with pre-positioned strike teams ready in the Santa Clarita and Malibu areas. “Hopefully it doesn’t get as hot as we think it’s gonna be and hopefully we don’t get those winds either,” he said.

Dantic also highlighted the unpredictability of Santa Ana wind events, explaining they can occur year-round, as was the case during the January wildfires that caused significant damage in L.A. County.

As recent rainfall helped delay fire season, the return of winds and heat later in the year may elevate risks once again. Meteorologists reported scattered downpours earlier this month, which temporarily eased wildfire threats but the prevailing conditions are still a concern.

“We always have to make sure we watch out for the factors that could start a fire,” Dantic warned, emphasizing the need for residents in fire-prone areas to remain vigilant and review their evacuation plans.

The forecast suggests temperatures will remain elevated throughout the week but are expected to cool down just in time for Halloween. The community is urged to prepare accordingly as the fire season progresses.