Gusty Winds, Hot Temperatures and Dry Air Raise Wildfire Risk in California

Gusty winds combined with hot temperatures and dry air have raised the risk of wildfires to critical levels in parts of California through at least Saturday. As winds picked up on Thursday morning in the mountains behind Los Angeles and in the Sierra Nevada Range, millions of people across the state braced for stronger, more widespread winds that could whip a single spark into a destructive fire. Red flag warnings were in effect in portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties and along the western side of the Sierra and into the foothills. The warnings mean that experts are worried that fires could start more easily and spread quickly if they do. Utility companies began shutting off power to tens of thousands of customers to prevent power lines from emitting sparks that could start fires. Here's the forecast by region The most severe warnings are in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Northern California also has some red flag warnings. A 105 m.p.h. wind gust in the Sierra Nevada. Winds will be strong in San Diego but fire risk is low. The most severe warnings are in Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. Los Angeles and Ventura Counties were at the center of the fire threat on Thursday. An 81-m.p.h. gust was recorded in the mountains near Six Flags Magic Mountain, 50 miles north of Downtown Los Angeles, on Thursday morning. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in . Want all of The Times? Subscribe .