Winds whip surf, fire danger

Deepa Bharath

It was not the kind of day to throw caution to the wind.

Local fire officials were on high alert Tuesday, the last day of

summer, after Santa Ana winds ripped through the area.

The winds that set in early morning later picked up speed,

especially in Orange County’s passes and canyons, reaching up to 30

mph in some areas, said Robert Balfour, a meteorologist for the

National Weather Service in San Diego.

In Newport Beach, winds reached speeds of 15 mph through Tuesday

afternoon, he said. But they were strongest earlier in the morning,

kicking up dust on parts of Coast Highway and buffeting cars, Balfour

said.

The National Weather Service also issued a red-flag warning for

wildland fires. Local departments are on high alert, Newport Beach

Fire Capt. Todd Knipp said.

“The red-flag warning is based on the wind speeds, decline in

humidity and the amount of dry brush, which is basically the fuel for

wildland fires,” he said.

High-risk areas in the city are Buck Gully, Los Trancos and

Newport Coast, Knipp said.

But these conditions could cause problems in other areas too, he

warned.

“If we have a structural fire, for example, the winds can cause

the fire to spread from one house to another very quickly,” Knipp

said. “So we need to be very watchful.”

The Newport Beach Fire Department has added one person to its

Newport Coast fire station, he said.

“One person doesn’t sound like much, but when we have serious

fires, we need all the help we can get,” Knipp said. “During times

like these, the fire chiefs also cancel nonessential training, so we

can have full staffing at the fire stations.”

The Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol in Newport Beach also

issued a small-crafts advisory, cautioning small vessels such as

yachts and tugboats against going in the water until winds calm down.

Newport Beach lifeguards did not log any rescues despite the 6- to

8-foot surf, which was probably higher at The Wedge, lifeguard

dispatcher Eric Sherwin said.

“It’s been a gorgeous day,” he said. “Really clean. Everyone seems

to be playing safe and having fun.”

Monday night saw bigger surf in Newport, with waves rising up to

10 feet, Balfour said.

“The winds were also causing a few rip currents in the ocean,” he

said.

Heavy winds are expected to last until Wednesday afternoon. Until

they subside, fire alerts will be in place, Balfour said.

Santa Ana winds are common for this time of the year, and every

time they blow, it’s heads up for fire officials, Knipp said.

“They become more frequent in the fall,” he said. “We could see

this happen as many as six, seven or eight times before Christmas.”