LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles County and city public safety officials urged the public Wednesday to prepare for a strong Santa Ana wind event that could trigger wildfires and possible power outages during the latter part of the week.

Red flag warnings issued by the National Weather Service will be in effect for a significant portion of Los Angeles County from Thursday through Saturday night. Low humidity and strong winds will create conditions capable of producing rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior, forecasters said. Gusts of 50 to 70 mph are forecast in mountain areas, with widespread gusty winds across many valleys and coastal communities. High fire risk conditions could linger into Saturday in some areas.

Residents were urged to prepare for utility-initiated public safety power shutoffs and unplanned outages caused by wind damage. County officials noted that outages can disrupt communications, traffic signals and electrically powered medical equipment.

Hot weather will add to the risks, with a heat advisory in effect for portions of the county from Thursday through Saturday. Information on cooling centers and resources can be found at ready.lacounty.gov/heat/.

Los Angeles city and county fire departments were implementing augmented staffing and is pre-positioning additional ground and aerial resources.

Mayor Karen Bass urged residents to sign up for emergency alerts at notifyla.org and lafd.org/alerts.

Due to the fire danger, the Los Angeles Fire Department will impose red flag parking restrictions beginning at 6 a.m. Thursday through at least 6 a.m. Saturday. The declaration imposes street-parking restrictions in Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zones to ensure emergency vehicles will be able to negotiate streets to battle wildfires, and ensure residents will be able to quickly evacuate in a fire erupts.

More information about the restrictions and affected areas is available at www.lafd.org/redflag.

The county’s Emergency Operations Center and the Joint Information Center, meanwhile, will activate Thursday morning, bolstering coordination among county departments and other agencies and ensuring the distribution of timely information to the public, officials said.

“Ahead of the high fire danger, the county of Los Angeles Fire Department has pre-positioned additional personnel along with ground and aerial resources across Los Angeles County,” county Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said. “With strong winds capable of driving rapid wildfire growth, we urge residents to prepare immediately. Review the Ready! Set! Go! program, identify your evacuation zone, and be prepared to evacuate without delay.”

Sheriff Robert Luna added, “As Los Angeles County prepares for the upcoming Red Flag Warning, the safety of our communities and our personnel remains our highest priority. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department is taking proactive steps to ensure we are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to any emergencies that may arise. Through heightened monitoring, close coordination with our law enforcement partners throughout the region, and strategic staffing, we are ensuring our personnel and resources are prepared to respond quickly and effectively to emergencies. We urge residents to remain vigilant, stay informed, have an emergency plan and follow the guidance of public safety officials. Preparedness and collaboration are essential to keeping our communities safe.”

Kevin McGowan, director of the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management, noted, “The January 2025 wildfires underscored the importance of early coordination, clear public information and planning for people who need additional assistance.

“We are activating the EOC and Joint Information Center ahead of the forecast’s peak winds to support those priorities,” he said. “Our responsibility is to coordinate the county’s response and provide actionable information. Residents can help protect themselves and their neighbors by preparing now, staying informed and being ready to evacuate.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom also directed Cal Fire and the state Office of Emergency Services to pre-position resources in Southern California ahead of the Santa Ana winds.

“By positioning firefighters, engines, aircraft and specialized equipment in areas facing the greatest risk, we are helping local fire departments respond quickly when every second counts,” Newsom said in a statement. “We will continue working with our partners statewide to ensure they have the personnel, equipment and resources necessary to keep Californians safe throughout this wind event.”