Fire glows along Mandeville Canyon during the Palisades Fire,  photographed from the Mountaingate development, above Mandeville, in the Brentwood community of Los Angeles, Calif. on on Jan. 11, 2025.

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a rare “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties last Monday, anticipating strong winds. The warning, in effect from Tuesday to Thursday, described the fire weather conditions as exceptionally severe.

Over the following three days, winds gusting up to 100 m.p.h. fueled wildfires. By Sunday evening, the fires had caused significant damage, with the death toll expected to increase. Some of the largest fires remained uncontained.

The NWS has issued a new warning: dangerous Santa Ana winds, though weaker than last week’s, will return between 4 a.m. local time Tuesday and noon Wednesday, posing a significant risk of rapid fire growth.

During a Sunday press conference addressing the ongoing fires and impending winds, Los Angeles City Fire Department chief Kristin Crowley described the disaster as “one of the most challenging natural events in the city’s history,” emphasizing that the crisis is far from over.

This section explains the implications of the wind warning.

Understanding the Warnings

The NWS uses the “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS) designation for extreme weather alerts to highlight exceptional urgency and risk. While typically used for tornadoes, it has also been applied to flash floods, thunderstorms, windchill, and fire weather.

PDS red flag warnings preceded last year’s and fires, both linked to Santa Ana winds. The NWS’s Los Angeles office had only issued this warning twice before, both in 2020, also due to Santa Ana winds.

Santa Ana winds, also known as “devil winds,” are strong, dry winds that seasonally impact Southern California, often exacerbating wildfires. According to research from UCLA, these winds originate from high pressure in the Great Basin and accelerate as they descend towards the west coast.

Evacuation Implications

Los Angeles County Fire Department chief Anthony Marrone stated at Sunday’s press conference that the combination of strong winds, low humidity, and dry fuels maintains an extremely high fire risk across Los Angeles County.

Due to this threat, evacuees will not be allowed to return home before Thursday at the earliest. This has reportedly caused frustration among those unable to check on their properties or retrieve belongings. Over 150,000 people have received mandatory evacuation orders.

County Sheriff Robert Luna also reminded residents of the ongoing curfew in affected areas, explaining that hazard clearance efforts are underway. He emphasized the prioritization of public safety despite the understandable desire of residents to return home.

LA city fire chief Crowley advised residents who haven’t been evacuated to prepare for potential further evacuations due to the upcoming winds.  She urged immediate compliance with any warnings or orders.

Firefighter Preparations

Marrone assured the public of the Los Angeles County Fire Department’s preparedness for the approaching winds. Measures include aerial deployment of fire retardants, increased deployment of engines, crews, helicopters, and bulldozers, and the establishment of a mobilization center in Beaumont for rapid resource deployment.

Crowley, who previously criticized city officials for insufficient funding, adopted a more positive tone on Sunday, asserting the city’s readiness and the commitment of city leaders to address the situation.