The San Marino Police Department released a “California Safety Fire Alert” to residents subscribed to its CLEAR program today, stating the SMPD and the San Marino Fire Department are on “alert and increased patrol due to high winds and multiple fires in our region.”
The departments are advising residents not to use any open flames or anything that could produce sparks during these dangerous conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning through 8 p.m. Sunday for the Los Angeles County and Ventura Mountains. According to the service, humidity is at a daily minimum of 5 to 12 percent, “with very poor overnight recovery.”
Low humidity coupled with extremely strong winds can contribute to extreme fire behavior, and has caused the rapid spread of the Creek Fire off of Kagel Canyon Rd., which has burned 12,605 acres and is 10 percent contained, the Skirball Fire, which has burned 475 acres with 20 percent containment and the Rye Fire which has destroyed 7,000 acres and is 15 percent contained. The Thomas Fire burning in nearby Ventura county is the currently the largest of the fires, burning 96,000 acres and is only five percent contained.
