Red Flag Warning for San Gabriel Mountains Wednesday

By City News Service

A red flag warning indicating a high risk of wildfire was issued today for forest and mountain areas of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties because of high winds, low humidity and bone-dry vegetation.

The warning went into effect at 6 a.m. in the Los Angeles County portion of the San Gabriel Mountains as well as the mountains of Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The warning, which also covered the Angeles and Los Padres national forests, was due to expire at 10 a.m. Thursday.

"Very low humidities coupled with continued gusty winds and very dry fuels will likely bring critical fire weather conditions across the mountains of Los Angeles, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties ...,'' said a National Weather Service advisory.

The NWS forecast northwest-to-north winds of between 20 and 35 miles per hour, gusting to 50 mph, with the strongest winds concentrated in the Interstate 5 corridor. At the same time, humidity levels are expected to dip into single-digit territory.

"If fire ignition occurs, there could be rapid spread of wildfire that would lead to a threat of life and property,'' warned an NWS advisory.
  
Also in effect today -- until 10 tonight -- was a wind advisory in the San Gabriels and the Antelope Valley.

Gusts as strong as 63 miles per hour were recorded in the San Gabriels overnight, according to the weather service.