Southern California is headed for a day of its most extreme fire weather conditions — an unprecedented fifth time the National Weather Service has sounded an “especially hazardous situation” warning for the region in a season.
The “Extremely Hazardous Situation” warning will go into effect Monday afternoon and 10 a.m. Monday through Tuesday for most of Los Angeles County and Ventura County.
Peak winds of 50 mph to 70 mph are possible along the coast and valleys, while sustained winds are expected to be between 25 mph and 40 mph.
Isolated gusts of 100 mph are possible in the mountains and foothills, while gusts of 30 mph to 50 mph are possible, Schoenfeld said.
“Extremely dangerous situation” is an upgrade to the red flag warning, which already warns of hazardous weather and rapid fire spread in the event of a fire.
“The PDS highlights a very dangerous environment that is very favorable for rapid fire growth if a fire occurs,” said Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's office in Oxnard.
Areas in “particularly dangerous conditions” are facing “extreme extreme conditions — about as bad as it can get,” said Ryan Kittel, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's office in Oxnard.

(National Weather Service)
Areas in Los Angeles County under “particularly dangerous conditions” include the northern San Fernando and San Gabriel valleys, Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills, the Santa Clarita Valley and other areas to the north.
They include areas like Altadena and Pasadena, but also areas in the northwest, from La Crescenta to the Porter Ranch area.
Areas north of Interstate 210, including Altadena and much of Pasadena, were affected by the “particularly dangerous situation” in the northern San Gabriel Valley. Areas of the San Fernando Valley under this warning include Reseda and Burbank and areas to the north.
Much of Ventura County, including Oxnard, Thousand Oaks, Simi Valley, Ventura, Camarillo, Moorpark, Santa Paula, Port Hueneme and Fillmore, is in an “especially dangerous situation.”
A regular red flag warning — which warns of critical fire weather and rapid fire spread if ignition occurs — went into effect for much of Southern California at 8 a.m. Monday and is expected to last until 10 p.m. Tuesday. .
A red flag warning in LA County includes the San Gabriel Valley, Palos Verdes Peninsula and Santa Catalina Island.
The red flag warning includes large areas of inland San Diego and Orange counties, as well as Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Red Flag Fire Weather Warnings for large areas of Southern California from Monday morning through Tuesday night.
(National Weather Service)
Unlike the devastating storm on Jan. 7-8, which brought winds from the north and northeast, this week's Santa Ana winds are expected to be more traditional, with winds from the east and northeast, forecasters said.
That's why forecasters expect the Santa Ana wind corridor that runs southwest from Palmdale to be among the hardest-hit areas as winds blow up the coast toward points southwest like Santa Clarita and Ventura.
Strong winds are expected from Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning, Schoenfeld said.
Forecasters have also warned of dangerous seas along the coast. “Strong winds will create hazardous sea conditions that could capsize or damage small and large vessels,” the weather service said.
What sets this “particularly dangerous situation” apart from four previous such warnings since November is that “this is probably one of the driest, driest fire weather events we've seen so far this year,” Schoenfeld said.
Humidity may drop to 3% in some areas with dry air on Tuesday.
“So while the winds are expected to ease as Tuesday progresses, we're asking people not to let their guard down because we're going to be marching toward some less moisture during that period,” Schoenfeld said.
Some rain is possible next weekend. There is a 50% to 70% chance of rain starting Saturday and the next two days – but a 20% to 30% chance of thunderstorms. It could bring heavy rain to some isolated areas, and there is a risk of flooding near recently burned areas.
The good news is that there is a chance of mostly beneficial rain, which will help keep the fire under control. It's a cold storm that will drop snow levels below 4,000 feet above sea level, which could bring snow to some mountain communities, Schoenfeld said.
“If we get enough beneficial rain, it can really be a game changer for fire weather,” Schoenfeld said.
A lack of rain plays a major role in explaining Southern California's fire woes, where vegetation dries out and is more likely to turn into brush fires.
The last time Downtown L.A. received more than a tenth of an inch of rain in a calendar day was May 5. It's now been 259 days since then — a record for Downtown without receiving at least a tenth of an inch. the rain The previous record for downtown was Feb. 25-Nov. 3, 2008, there were 253 consecutive days without a tenth of an inch of rain.
Downtown LA has only received 0.16 inches of rain since the water year began on October 1. That's only 3% of the average at this point in the water year, or 5.99 inches. Downtown has an average annual rainfall of 14.25 inches.
Forecasters urged people to take action now to reduce the risk of any ignition or fire spreading and to prepare for strong, damaging winds.
Residents should secure loose outdoor items such as patio furniture; Adjust travel times between Monday night and Tuesday morning; Charge electronics, flashlights and battery packs; fill fuel tanks of emergency generators; And move cars away from trees that appear fragile, Schoenfeld said.
experts warning People object to keeping certain items within 5 feet of your house, such as outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and trash and recycling bins. It's a good idea to remove all dead or alive weeds, such as clearing gutters, roofs, decks, porches, and stairs of combustible materials such as leaves and needles.
“And then when the wind starts, stay away from trees, windows. Use extreme caution on anything that could cause a fire,” Schoenfeld said.
The weather service's Oxnard office, which covers Los Angeles, Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, is the unprecedented fifth announcement of a “particularly hazardous situation” upgrade to a red flag warning in a single season.
The 19,904-acre fire spread rapidly when the office issued the first three warnings. Mountain fire In Ventura County in November, it demolished 243 structures; The 4,037-acre Franklin Fire swept through Malibu and destroyed 20 structures in December; This month's Palisades and Eaton fires are among the most destructive and deadly in modern California history.
“This air reigns [this week] “In many ways it's like a mountain fire,” Schoenfeld said. But, he added, “it didn't go as deep into the San Gabriel Valley as the Jan. 7 event,” which helped fuel the Eaton Fire quickly and destroy a large swath of unincorporated Altadena.
The Oxnard Weather Service only began issuing “Extremely Hazardous Situation” warnings in 2020. It sent two that year, in October and December. Others are not due until November 2024.

(National Weather Service)
The Weather Service decided to start using the tagline “Extremely Hazardous Situation” as the highest type of alarm sounding for a red flag warning.
After the devastating Thomas Fire of 2017, which destroyed 1,063 structures in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, the need for a red alert became clear; and the Woolsey Fire of 2018, which destroyed 1,643 structures in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Both were among the most destructive fires in Southern California's modern history.
Promoting that message has seemed to work sometimes in the past. In late 2019, the Weather Service office that oversees the Bay Area called the red flag warning “historic” and “severe,” drawing significant attention. Then, the firefighters Credit An extraordinary marshaling of critical firefighting resources to prevent wildfires from worsening in northern and southern California.
As of Sunday, the Palisades Fire, which has burned more than 23,700 acres and killed at least 10 people, was 56% contained, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The Eden Fire, which has burned more than 14,000 acres and killed at least 17 people, is 81% contained.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, 27 people are still missing: 20 from the Eaton fire and seven from the Palisades.
Times staff writer Connor Sheets contributed to this report.