Red Flag Warning: Los Angeles County, CA — Santa Ana winds and extreme fire risk Thursday, Oct. 15 to Friday, Oct. 16

The National Weather Service (NWS) office in Los Angeles/Oxnard issued this Red Flag Warning at 1:43 p.m. PDT Tuesday, Oct. 13. It is in effect from 6 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15 until 10 p.m. PDT Friday, Oct. 16. A Red Flag Warning means critical fire weather is happening now or will start soon. NWS says it replaces the earlier Fire Weather Watch for these areas.

Where (NWS zone names, Los Angeles County areas): Western and Eastern Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Malibu Coast, Calabasas and Agoura Hills, Western and Eastern San Fernando Valley, Santa Susana Mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Interstate 5 Corridor, Western San Gabriel Mountains and Highway 14 Corridor, Eastern San Gabriel Mountains, and Los Angeles County San Gabriel Valley. Check the NWS map to see whether your spot is included.

Why: NWS says moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will develop quickly Thursday, peak Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon, then weaken through the weekend, while dry air dries out the effects of the recent rains. NWS warns of a high risk of extreme fire behavior with any new fire starts, and says some areas may see Red Flag conditions linger into Saturday.

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Weather: In the mountains, the Interstate 5 Corridor and the Highway 14 Corridor, NWS forecasts northeast to east winds of 20 to 40 mph with gusts of 50 to 70 mph and humidity minimums of 8 to 20 percent. In the valleys and along the coast, NWS forecasts northeast to east winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts of 40 to 50 mph (isolated gusts of 50 to 60 mph in the hills) and humidity minimums of 5 to 15 percent. NWS says that if a fire starts, conditions favor extreme fire behavior that would threaten life and property.

What to do: do not burn anything, and avoid anything that throws sparks (mowing dry grass, dragging trailer chains, target shooting). Do not park on dry grass. NWS says residents near wildland areas should be prepared to evacuate if a wildfire breaks out. Know your evacuation route, keep your phone charged and sign up for local emergency alerts. If a fire starts, call 911 right away. Southern California Edison is also considering power shutoffs in the region; see https://noticenearby.com/briefs/ca-sce-psps-wind-shutoffs-2026-10-14

Source: National Weather Service Los Angeles/Oxnard Red Flag Warning via api.weather.gov (https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d7644b38a9cd245f0a9eb34d57b97a36b3983615.001.2 and https://api.weather.gov/alerts/urn:oid:2.49.0.1.840.0.d7644b38a9cd245f0a9eb34d57b97a36b3983615.002.2). Local NWS page: https://www.weather.gov/lox. Notice Nearby wrote this brief in its own words. More Los Angeles County notices: https://noticenearby.com/ca/los-angeles