Features and Articles
- Santa Ana Winds, Fire Risk, and YOU! Monday, April 2nd, 2007
- Fighting Wildfires: Helitack Missions Monday, September 18th, 2006
- Getting Fire Insurance at the Wildland Urban Interface Tuesday, February 6th, 2007
- Fallbrook Avocado Festival Sunday, April 23rd, 2006
- Fallbrook Earth Day Friday, April 21st, 2006
- The Art of the Flower Sunday, April 2nd, 2006
Santa Ana Winds, Fire Risk, and YOU!
The Santa Ana winds are hot, dry, and fast winds that blow through Southern California during fall and early spring each year. Unimpeded (i.e. in some canyon areas) Santa Ana winds can reach up to 100 miles per hour. These winds can increase the risk of wildfire by making it easier for smaller fires—even embers—to spread and grow quickly.
The Santa Ana winds are actually a weather phenomenon called "Föhn Winds" in which a layer of air is forced over mountain ranges, drying it out, and then moves downward, heating up. The winds blow from the Mohave and Sonoran deserts through the Los Angeles basin, western San Diego County and Tijuana (Baja California) and out over the Pacific Ocean, counter to the usual direction of the wind. Once over the ocean, the Santa Anas warm the surface waters, causing upwelling of cold, nutrient-rich water. This upwelling helps keep local fisheries healthy and well—stocked.
The unfortunate effect of the Santa Ana winds is the extreme drop in humidity. Lack of moisture in the air dries out plants and soil, making the surrounding environment more vulnerable to combustion. High wind speeds can turn small fires into wildfires before they can be contained. That is why it is extremely important to care for your home and property with extra caution during a Santa Ana wind event. Southern California is wildfire country, it's residents should always be prepared for an emergency.
During especially dry and hot conditions, mowing or weed-whacking should be avoided. Small sparks given off by these machines could be enough to start a fire. Tending to your property and eliminating weeds is important, so contact the North County Fire Protection District for tips on how to safely landscape during these high-risk periods ((760) 728-9446). Also watch your local weather reports for Red Flag Warnings issued by the National Weather Service during these dry and hot periods. Fire danger level shown at WildfireAlert! will be automatically set to extreme during these periods.
Living with wildfire in southern California will always be a challenge, but one well worth accepting.
