The National Weather Service issued urgent alerts and warnings as a “volatile” combination of dry air and strong Santa Ana winds created extremely dangerous fire weather conditions in Southern California.
An “extremely critical” fire risk, the highest level on the scale, is in effect for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties on Wednesday, according to the Storm Prediction Center. Forecasters say this is the most severe fire threat California has seen since the catastrophic 2020 wildfire season.
Adding to the alarm, a rare “particularly dangerous situation” red flag warning—the most serious type of fire weather warning—will remain in place through Thursday for these areas.
A broader “critical” fire risk covers parts of Northern California and much of Southern California. Officials warn that the conditions resemble setups that have historically led to some of Southern California’s most destructive fires.