Winds continue in Los Angeles as it prepares for potential toxic runoff from fires

Forecasters are warning that strong winds will continue to batter Southern California for at least two more days, as new wildfires break out across Los Angeles. The region is entering its third week of fires, and officials are preparing to protect burned communities from toxic ash runoff in anticipation of possible rain this weekend.

Wind speeds had eased somewhat by Tuesday afternoon, after reaching 96 kilometers per hour in many areas, but meteorologist Ryan Kittell of the National Weather Service’s Los Angeles office said that gusty conditions will return on Wednesday. “If a fire starts, it can spread quickly,” Mr. Kittell said.

Critical fire risk red flag warnings for Los Angeles and Ventura counties have been extended until 8 p.m. Thursday. David Acuna, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, known as Cal Fire, said that fire engines and water-dropping aircraft deployed in the region enabled firefighters to quickly extinguish several small fires that broke out in Los Angeles and San Diego counties. “Our concern is the next fire, the next spark that ignites a wildfire,” Mr. Acuna said. He also said that another concern is that two major fires near Los Angeles, in Palisades and Eaton, could break containment lines.

As a small number of residents were allowed to return to the hard-hit Pacific Palisades area, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order on Tuesday to speed up the cleanup of burned areas and to mitigate the environmental impact of fire-related pollutants. She ordered crews to clear vegetation, reinforce hillsides, install barriers, and fortify roads before possible weekend rains, to prevent mudslides. “This is to prevent further damage to areas already impacted by the fires and to protect our watersheds, beaches, and ocean from toxic runoff,” Mayor Bass said.

Mr. Kittell said that there is a 60% to 80% chance of light rain in Southern California starting Saturday, with most areas likely receiving no more than 8 millimeters. However, up to 25 millimeters of rain could fall during isolated thunderstorms, which would be “the worst-case scenario” if it was enough to trigger mudslides on scorched hillsides. “But even if it doesn’t rain this time, this could be a good exercise for these communities as they will have to deal with this threat in the months or years to come,” the meteorologist added.

Cal Fire said that on Tuesday, evacuation orders were issued when the Friers Fire broke out near a shopping center in San Diego, with flames spreading up a hillside toward homes. That fire is now fully contained. Meanwhile, evacuation orders were lifted for the Lilac Fire in the Bonsall area of San Diego County, which burned at least 34 hectares of dry brush after threatening buildings. Nearby, firefighters fully contained the 34-hectare Pala Fire.

Los Angeles firefighters quickly extinguished a small brush fire near the iconic Griffith Observatory, known for the movie “Rebel Without a Cause,” on Monday. Los Angeles police said that a man suspected of arson was taken into custody. Firefighters also quickly put out a small fire near Tujunga, and another fire along Interstate 405 in the Granada Hills community, which temporarily closed northbound lanes.

Southern California Edison said that it had preemptively cut power to more than 60,000 customers in five counties to prevent high winds from toppling electrical equipment and sparking new fires. The utility said that it was considering preventative power shutoffs for another 202,000 customers. Mayor Bass also warned that high winds could spread ash, and urged Los Angeles residents to visit the city’s website for information on how to protect themselves from toxic air.

Low humidity, dry vegetation, and strong winds have led firefighters to continue battling the Palisades and Eaton fires since they broke out on January 7, which have caused at least 27 deaths and destroyed more than 14,000 buildings. According to Cal Fire, four fires are currently burning, with the Palisades fire 65% contained and the Eaton fire 89% contained.

The U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms is investigating the causes of the major fires and has not released any findings. Several lawsuits have been filed by people who lost their homes in the Eaton fire, accusing Southern California Edison equipment of starting the blaze. On Tuesday, a judge overseeing one of those lawsuits ordered the utility to provide data on circuits in the area where the fire started.