Hot weather and winds raise California wildfire threat as power shutoffs start – ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

Hot weather and winds raise California wildfire threat as power shutoffs start  ABC News – Breaking News, Latest News and Videos

California is bracing for fire weather, with thousands potentially losing power as utilities aim to prevent wildfires during hot and windy conditions LOS ANGELES — Large swaths of California are expected to see fire weather starting Thursday and thousands of people could lose power as utilities try not to spark wildfires during hot and windy conditions expected to last through Saturday. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who has faced criticism for her city's response to deadly fires in 2025, said she's directed the fire department to deploy personnel and equipment ahead of the winds. The fire department has also requested assistance from the state’s office of emergency services, she said.

“It’s a pretty widespread event of elevated fire weather, so the whole SoCal region should really be on alert,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Dry, warm and gusty northeast winds known as Santa Anas, which blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore, are expected, with the strongest winds forecast for Thursday afternoon through Friday afternoon. The winds are expected to reach 20 to 40 mph (32 to 64 kph), with gusts from 50 to 70 mph (80 to 113 kph), in the San Gabriel mountains in Los Angeles County and the Santa Susana mountains, which are mostly in Ventura County,