Red Flag Warning for San Gabriel Mountains Wednesday

From 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.

Check out the National Weather Service's forecast for Altadena:

• Wednesday Afternoon Sunny, with a high near 81. West southwest wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 15 mph.
• Wednesday Night Clear, with a low around 60. West southwest wind around 5 mph becoming north northeast in the evening.
• Thursday Sunny, with a high near 82. Light and variable wind becoming southwest 5 to 10 mph in the afternoon.
• Thursday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 60. South southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.