The warnings were dire and blaring – but the Santa Ana winds didn’t show up.
After two full days of anxiously fighting fires as if 70 mph gusts could descend at any moment, white-knuckling firefighters battling the Los Angeles wildfires got some good news Wednesday as most red flag warnings expired at 6 p.m. While the area was still abnormally dry, atmospheric humidity was on the way as soon as Thursday, forecasters said.
Red flag warnings in seven counties, including Los Angeles, and the Santa Monica Mountains were lifted an hour after sunset. One will remain through 3 p.m. on Thursday near the parts of Grapevine.
While the threat of the Santa Ana winds’ fierce, sustained winds prompted a “particularly dangerous situation” bulletin from the National Weather Service – its highest possible alarm – for most of Tuesday and Wednesday, the only notable gusts were in the 30 mph range along the traditional wind corridor.
Dry conditions were expected to hang around through Thursday with 8% to 20% humidity, with more atmospheric moisture on the way as early as Friday. Cooler temperatures were also expected.
But there was still much work to do. The largest fires, Palisades and Eaton, were still only 19% and 45% respectively contained as of Wednesday, though their acreages remained constant at 23,713 and 14,117.
Nine people were confirmed dead in the Palisades fire, while another 16 in the Eaton fire, bringing the death toll up by one to 25. Mandatory and voluntary evacuation orders remained in place for much of the two largest fires.
