Bad news for fire-ravaged Southern California: As Los Angeles area firefighters continue to battle flames in multiple locations, fierce Santa Ana winds are expected to return beginning on Monday, posing “potential extreme fire risk.”
“Gusty winds in the forecast next week are not expected to be as intense as the windstorm that led to these destructive fires, but we are concerned about another potential extreme fire risk on Monday and Tuesday,” AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said in a statement.
He predicts “gusty winds and an elevated fire threat” with winds of 40-60 mph to possibly as high as 85 mph.
Winds early next week are likely to be easterly and may behave differently than the powerful northeast winds the region experienced this past week, but, AccuWeather warns, they can still cause significant wildfire dangers.
As of Friday afternoon, the death toll stands at 11 with more than 12,000 structures destroyed and 179,000 people under evacuation orders. The Palisades Fire, which has virtually wiped the neighborhood off the map, is 8% contained; the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, which has burned across nearly 14,000 acres, is only 3% contained.
The weekend will be slightly less breezy, with a forecast of 30-50 mph wind gusts “in areas prone to Santa Ana winds” Saturday afternoon through Sunday morning.
Unhealthy air quality is also expected to continue across much of the Los Angeles region throughout the weekend. Porter encouraged people in the region to limit their exposure to wildfire smoke and to use N95 respirator masks when they are outdoors in areas with unhealthy air quality.
“The wind is carrying wildfire smoke and hazardous particulates in the air that can travel miles away from the fire zone. This unhealthy air quality can trigger asthma and other respiratory issues. Extended exposure to wildfire smoke can lead to serious health problems,” Porter warned. “This is a major public health concern, since millions of people could potentially be exposed to unhealthy air quality through the weekend in the Los Angeles area.”
The preliminary estimate for the total damage and economic loss from the wildfires has increased from $135 billion to $150 billion. “This is a tragic disaster that will be remembered as the most destructive wildfire in California’s modern history, and likely one of the most destructive fires in modern U.S. history,” Porter said. “AccuWeather estimates the total damage and economic loss from these fast-moving, wind-driven infernos will cost nearly 10 times as much as the devastating 2023 wildfires in Maui,” which were estimated at $13 billion to $16 billion.”
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