Cal Fire is ramping up its firefighting capabilities across Southern California as the region braces for an intense Santa Ana wind event that meteorologists warn could be the most destructive since 2011.
The agency announced Monday it has positioned 45 additional fire engines and six hand crews throughout Southern California, transferred from Northern California to strategic locations in the Inland Empire, Orange County, and San Diego County regions.
"As we experienced in Ventura County in November with the Mountain Fire, and yet again in December with the Franklin Fire in Malibu, wildfire is a year-round threat," said Cal Fire Director Joe Tyler.
The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday evening, with wind gusts potentially reaching up to 80 mph in some areas. Mountain and foothill regions could experience even stronger gusts up to 100 mph.
Southern California Edison is preparing for possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs that could affect over 400,000 customers across six counties - Kern, Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino - to prevent power equipment from sparking fires.
Local authorities are also taking preventive measures. The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced closures of all Malibu schools on Tuesday. Pasadena has implemented parking restrictions in narrow road areas near wildland interfaces to facilitate emergency access.
Cal Fire officials urge residents to:
- Maintain a 5-foot buffer zone around homes clear of flammable materials
- Prepare emergency "go bags"
- Avoid parking vehicles in dry grass
- Check trailer chains to prevent roadway sparks
- Report suspicious activity to prevent arson
The agency plans to maintain above-normal initial response levels throughout the wind event, with fire engines, hand crews, bulldozers, water tenders and round-the-clock supervisory staff ready to tackle any emerging fires.
Recent months have seen several devastating wind-driven fires in Southern California, including December's Franklin Fire in Malibu that burned over 4,000 acres and November's Mountain Fire in Ventura County that destroyed multiple homes.