Fall is in full swing, and like clockwork, the first Santa Ana winds of the year are set to sweep through Southern California — kick-starting fire season.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for portions of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Susana Mountains and parts of Ventura County — where wind speeds could hit 45 miles per hour. The gustiest conditions are expected Tuesday through Wednesday. In tandem, most areas will see a warming trend with highs in the 80s.
Elevated winds, expected rise in temperatures and low humidity create the perfect conditions for wildfires to spread quickly. And even with recent rains, the threat of destructive fires remains as fuels are still critically dry. In these situations, Southern California Edison may temporarily turn off power — activating Public Safety Power Shutoffs — to help keep communities safe and reduce the risk of electrical equipment becoming the source of ignition.
Once winds have calmed, crews work as safely and quickly as possible to restore power. To do that, they must physically patrol the entire circuit to make sure there are no safety hazards before reenergizing the lines.
