Gov. Gavin Newsom (D-CA) sounded the alarm that another wildfire could be imminent for California after the National Weather Service issued a “Particularly Dangerous Situation” warning.
The last warning preceded the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have been particularly destructive, burning thousands of acres and devastating communities.
“The National Weather Service has issued ‘Particularly Dangerous Situation’ warnings four times in the last three months,” Newsom said in a Sunday post on X. “The first preceded the Mountain Fire (Ventura) – 243 structures destroyed. The second preceded the Franklin Fire (Malibu) – 20 structures destroyed. The third preceded the Palisades and Eaton Fires – Thousands of homes, gone as we continue to battle blazes. The fourth, starts tomorrow.”
The National Weather Service’s Monday warning said there is a “dangerous situation red flag warning” in effect from now until 6 p.m. Wednesday in many areas of Los Angeles.
The agency warned of wind gusts ranging from 45 mph to 70 mph, dry air, and a higher risk of fire spreading quickly.
The service’s Jan. 6 warning said, “Strong winds are coming. This is a Particularly Dangerous Situation – in other words, this is about as bad as it gets in terms of fire weather. Stay aware of your surroundings. Be ready to evacuate, especially if in a high fire risk area. Be careful with fire sources.”
No new major wildfires have started as of Monday afternoon, according to Cal Fire’s tracker. The Palisades fire has burned 23,713 acres and is 14% contained, while the Eaton fire has burned 14,117 acres and is 33% contained. The smaller Hurst fire covers 799 acres and is 95% contained.
National Weather Service Los Angeles said later Monday that the warnings don’t predict fires but rather highlight environments “favorable” to them spreading.
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“While Red Flag Warnings do not predict fire starts, they do highlight a dangerous environment favorable to rapid fire growth IF one does start,” the agency said in a post on X. “This particular post from the governor really does provide context to the situation we are heading into. Stay safe neighbors.”
At least 24 people are dead as a result of the fires, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner.
