Firefighters across Southern California rushed Thursday to contain several rapidly spreading wildfires after the season’s first major Santa Ana wind event generated dangerous fire conditions across the region.
Red Flag Warnings and critical fire alerts remained in place through Saturday as gusty winds, warm temperatures and low humidity heightened the risk of rapid fire spread. The National Weather Service warned that any newly ignited blaze could exhibit extreme behavior and grow swiftly out of control.
Flames erupt across multiple counties
The largest of the blazes, designated the Henderson Fire, ignited Thursday on the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps training base in San Diego County. Cal Fire and local authorities reported the fire swiftly charred more than 1,000 acres, threatening utility lines and buildings while standing at zero percent containment late Thursday. Evacuation orders were enacted, and officials temporarily shut down sections of Interstate 5 as heavy smoke swept across the thoroughfare, The Guardian US reported.
In Los Angeles County, firefighters faced multiple brush fires driven by the turbulent weather. North of Azusa, near the San Gabriel Mountains, the Peak Fire started around 1 p.m. Thursday and expanded to 43 acres within two hours, according to FOX Weather and The Guardian US. Fire personnel quickly tackled the perimeter, allowing officials to downgrade mandatory evacuation orders to warnings.
Along the coast, emergency personnel responded around 5 p.m. Thursday to the Bryson Fire in Malibu. That blaze grew to roughly 80 acres within an hour as shifting gusts hurled embers ahead of the flame front, prompting local evacuation warnings, according to fire officials cited by the Los Angeles Times and The Guardian US.
Officials brace for high winds and dry air
Forecasters with the National Weather Service said wind gusts could peak between 50 and 70 mph across higher elevations in the San Gabriel and Santa Susana mountains, with coastal gusts reaching up to 50 mph. Temperatures were expected to rise into the upper 80s and mid-90s, the FOX Forecast Center noted.
The critical weather prompted Gov. Gavin Newsom to activate California’s State Operations Center and deploy emergency equipment and crews across Southern California, ABC7 Los Angeles reported. Cal Fire and the state Office of Emergency Services stationed fire engines, aircraft and specialized personnel in areas facing the greatest danger.
“By positioning firefighters, engines, aircraft and specialized equipment in areas facing the greatest risk, we are helping local fire departments respond quickly when every second counts,” Newsom said in a statement.
Utilities also moved to reduce risks by preemptively cutting electricity. Pacific Gas and Electric Company shut off power to nearly 62,000 Northern California customers across 26 counties, while portions of Malibu experienced precautionary outages, outlets reported.
Echoes of earlier disasters
The rapid onset of the blazes sparked renewed anxiety in communities still rebuilding from the deadly January 2025 firestorm. During that event, Santa Ana winds helped fuel the Palisades and Eaton fires, which claimed 31 lives and leveled more than 16,000 structures across Los Angeles County.
Los Angeles Fire Chief Jaime Moore said fire department staffing has been augmented and equipment pre-positioned to protect vulnerable areas, according to The Guardian US. In addition to high fire dangers, meteorologists warned that large burn scars left across the landscape could amplify the threat of mudslides and debris flows during anticipated heavy winter rains tied to an emerging El Niño weather pattern.
Fire weather conditions are expected to remain elevated through Friday afternoon before wind speeds begin to slacken heading into Saturday, forecasters said.
