Red Flag Warning Issued for San Gabriel Mountains and Angeles National Forest Area

By City News Service

A red flag warning indicating a high risk of wildfire is in force in Southern California Friday because of high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation.

The warning was in effect in the Santa Clarita Valley, the San Gabriel Mountains in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, L.A County's Angeles National Forest, Ventura County's Los Padres National Forest and the valleys and mountains of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. It was scheduled to expire at 8 tonight.

The National Weather Service issued the warning in response to gusty winds and low humidity at a time when the vegetation is already bone-dry. The strongest winds are expected this morning, an NWS advisory said.

Winds of between 20 and 35 miles per hour are expected today, gusting to up to 50 mph, and the humidity level will be at 10-20 percent, according to the NWS.

The NWS forecast mostly cloudy skies today and highs of 61 on Mount Wilson; 65 in Palmdale and Lancaster; 68 in Newport Beach; 69 in Saugus; 70 in Avalon; 73 at LAX; 75 in Long Beach, Burbank and Woodland Hills; 76 in downtown L.A., Pasadena and San Gabriel; and 77 in Anaheim.