(MENAFN- Live Mint) (Bloomberg) -- Wildfires broke out in Los Angeles County as the region - already gripped by drought - began facing hurricane-force gusts forecast to rake it for days.
A small fire was reported shortly after 10 am local time in West Hollywood, near the Comedy Store on Sunset Boulevard. Local media reported that firefighters held it to 3 acres, with forward progress stopped within an hour.
The other erupted in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood - near the coast - and quickly jumped to 200 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire. As of noon local time, it was 0% contained.
An evacuation order has been issued for Sunset Mesa, a coastal community near the Getty Villa outside of Malibu, a wealthy coastal enclave that's seen repeated blazes in recent years. The order also extends from down to the Pacific Coast Highway.
Dangerous winds
The US National Weather Service has issued red flag warnings that extend from central California's coast to the US-Mexico border. Forecasters are warning of a“particularly dangerous situation,” which is the most severe level of fire alert, in Beverly Hills, Hollywood Hills, Malibu, and the densely-populated San Fernando Valley, as winds gust up to 80 miles (129 kilometers) per hour.
Winds are expected to peak Tuesday through early Wednesday afternoon, with the strongest gusts - up 100 mph - expected to scour the San Fernando Valley and the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. NWS forecasters warned residents to expect downed trees and power lines, as well as widespread power outages.
The largest electric utility in Southern California has started turning off power to customers in an effort to prevent wildfires amid the powerful winds. Edison International's Southern California utility shut off electricity to about 4,600 homes and businesses in Los Angeles and Ventura counties as of 11:45 am local time, according to the utility's website. It said it may need to cut power to an additional 414,306 customers if Santa Ana winds become exceptionally strong.
The weather conditions have affected President Joe Biden's schedule. He was set to travel from Los Angeles to Thermal, California, to deliver remarks near the Coachella Valley, but has been grounded due to the winds and weather-related issues. Biden during his remarks was slated to announce two new national monuments that will protect 848,000 acres of lands in California.
In early December, a fast-growing brush fire broke out in the hills north of Malibu. The December fire destroyed 20 homes and structures and damaged 28 more. It took firefighters more than a week to fully contain the blaze, as dry Santa Ana winds threatened to revive the flames.
--With assistance from Mark Chediak, John Gittelsohn and Skylar Woodhouse.
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