Crews battle brush fires in Southern California sparked by winds, red flag warnings issued

Firefighters in Southern California battled several small vegetation fires Sunday as strong Santa Ana winds gusting through the region continue to pose a wildfire threat.

No structures were damaged and no injuries were reported in the blazes, two of which occurred in the San Fernando Valley and another of which occurred in Los Angeles.

In each case, the fires were promptly contained, according to alerts from the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The fires ignited and spread as windy conditions paired with low humidity picked up Sunday across the region, contributing to an elevated risk for wildfires, according to the National Weather Service.

The eastern gusts are expected to continue blowing at high speeds through Wednesday.

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California counties under red flag warnings

Santa Ana wind events are not uncommon in the region, especially this time of year.

In 2021, fierce Santa Ana winds in Southern California led to wildfire warnings for more than 17 million people as seasonal dry winds produced intense gusts on Thanksgiving Day, toppling trees and causing other damage.

Several California counties remain under red flag warnings to signal dangerous weather conditions that could lead to wildfires sparking and spreading unpredictably. In a post on X, formerly Twitter, the National Weather Service called on residents in "high fire danger areas" to be prepared to evacuate in the event that a wildfire ignited and begins rapidly spreading.

Millions of residents also face the potential of power outages, a pre-emptive measure officials often take to to mitigate the threat of wildfires.

Officials in the southwestern city of Calabasas said Sunday on X that Edison, the company that provides power to most of the city, could shut off power “for virtually ALL circuits” as a public safety measure due to the strong winds.

In Los Angeles, parking restrictions are in effect in areas where fire officials have deemed that the roadways need to be clear if evacuees need to get out of the city quickly. Vehicles in violation may be towed, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

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Crews battling the flames

Firefighters were first called around 2 p.m. local time Sunday to a one-quarter-acre brush fire in North Hollywood near State Route 170, which is part of the famed Hollywood Freeway.

Flames were spotted on either side of the highway, which had to be shut down near Victory Boulevard as crews battled the blaze on the ground and in the air with water-spewing helicopters, according to the LAFD.

In the two hours it took crews to get that fire contained, two other fires were reported, the first around 3 p.m. on a half-acre of grass in Wilmington.

The second sprung up around 3:40 p.m. in West Hills spreading across five acres of grass. That fire was contained by around 5 p.m., according to fire officials.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]