Fire conditions are anticipated to improve across Southern California on Friday after a powerful Santa Ana Wind Event brought gusty winds and dangerous fire weather to the region. The newly formed Mountain Fire has burned over 20,000 acres since Wednesday, fueled by these adverse conditions.
Conditions began to ameliorate on Thursday as winds gradually subsided. On Wednesday, winds gusted up to 64 mph in the Mountain Fire area, remaining strong throughout the day. By Thursday morning, sustained winds reached up to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph, gradually decreasing as the day progressed. By the afternoon, sustained winds were at 10-20 mph with isolated gusts of 20-30 mph.
During the overnight hours, winds in the Mountain Fire area continued to diminish, with forecasts indicating speeds mostly between 5-10 mph into Friday. Although isolated higher gusts remain possible, the overall wind conditions have significantly improved from earlier in the week.
Red flag warnings are also being lifted across the region, with the final warnings for the Los Angeles and Ventura County Mountains, the Inland Empire, and the coastal slopes of the San Bernardino County Mountains expected to be lifted by Friday 11 am PST. While gusts up to 40 mph are still possible through Friday morning, they are projected to decrease as the day progresses. Gusts are likely to diminish to 20-30 mph, accompanied by increasing humidity levels, which will greatly aid firefighters in their efforts.
