Wide Swaths Of LA County Face Elevated Fire Danger This Week

LOS ANGELES, CA — The mountains, deserts and valleys around Los Angeles County face an elevated risk of brushfires this week as temperatures climb and humidity plummets, the National Weather Service warned.

It's a warning Angelenos can expect to hear a lot in the coming months, as the region enters the summer with unseasonably dry fuels thanks to the extreme drought gripping California. The elevated fire danger warning will remain in place through Friday. The weather service said the current moisture levels in fuels are more commonly seen in late July and August. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, portions of the state recorded soil moisture levels below the first percentile and conditions are already drier than they were at the end of the seven-year drought that ended in 2017.

"There will be continued elevated fire weather conditions across the interior through Friday due to heat, low (relative humidity), and gusty winds," the NWS tweeted on Tuesday.

"Fuels are unseasonably dry so please use extra caution with any source of ignition."

Cal Fire issued a similar warning.

"CA continues to experience an increase in wildfires & acres burned compared to last year," the fire agency tweeted. "With hot temperatures & dry conditions across much of CA, it's now more critical than ever that all Californians are prepared for wildfires."

On Wednesday, temperatures were expected to be in the high 80s to low 90s on the San Fernando and San Clarita valleys, the upper 80s to mid-90s in the L.A. County Mountains and 93 to 103 in the Antelope Valley.

Winds were forecast to be generally in the 15 mph range, with gusts from 25 to 35 in the L.A. mountains and Antelope Valley.

"High pressure aloft will dominate the region through Friday," the NWS said. "This will lead to an extended period of very warm and dry conditions across the interior areas where highs between 90 and 100 and minimum humidities between 8 and 15 percent will be common.

"Onshore wind gusts between 20 and 40 mph will also be common each afternoon and evening across the interior, leading to elevated to brief critical fire weather conditions especially considering the unseasonably dry fuels."

Cal Fire recommends visiting https://www.readyforwildfire.o... for tips on how to prepare for wildfires.

City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.