Scanner traffic indicates two power lines were downed by wind gusts in Rialto early this afternoon.
Neither posed any danger to residents, though one line reportedly was blocking a street.
Power company crews were called out to repair the lines.
LOS ANGELES --Santa Ana winds expected to return today and last through Saturday will be strongest below the Cajon Pass and in the Santa Ana Mountains, according to the National Weather Service.
Firefighters are on alert across Southern California as red flag warnings for strong, gusting winds and critical fire weather were issued Thursday by the Weather Service for mountains and passes in six Southern California counties.
The warnings are in effect until 6 p.m. Saturday.
Winds may begin gusting today during the mid- to late morning, said Don Whitlow, a Weather Service meteorologist based in San Diego.
The winds are expected to be strongest and most widespread late tonight through Saturday morning, with
moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds at times, according to a Weather Service statement issued today.
Winds are expected to be strongest below the Cajon Pass and in the Santa Ana mountains and foothills.
Fire crews and extra equipment from across the West are here on standby.
In addition to county and state resources, federal assets assigned to be ready for strong winds include 11 air tankers, 18 helicopters, four military C-130s equipped for retardant drops, five lead planes, 170 fire engines, 21 hand crews and three incident management teams, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The Los Angeles Fire Department will enforce parking restrictions for the Hollywood Hills and other fire-prone areas with narrow winding roads, officials said. The restrictions go into effect at 10 a.m. today until further notice.
-- Associated Press
SAN BERNARDINO - About 600 firefighters spent Thanksgiving at the National Orange Show Events Center on Thursday ready to battle any evidence of wildfire in the Inland region of Southern California.
The mass staging of firefighters and equipment was in response to dire forecasts of 60-70 mph Santa Ana winds and critical dryness in the mountains.
"We've got big TVs and good food today, actually real good food today," said Capt. Kevin Kamnikar of the Salinas Rural Fire District.
Fire crews dined on a traditional meal that included turkey, mashed potatoes and pumpkin pie, while they watched the USC-Arizona State football game inside the spacious Citrus building on the Orange Show grounds.
Several firefighters cheered when the Sun Devils scored a touchdown to tie the game. The Trojans won, 44-24.
Firefighters have waited for several days in case a new Inland wildfire erupts during the predicted high winds today.
"At a moment's notice, we'll take off," said Richard Lamy, a member of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Zuni Hotshots from Northeastern New Mexico.
Lamy's team arrived Sunday in San Bernardino.
Waiting to see if another blaze ignites is just business as usual for firefighters like Engineer Scott Freels of the Santa Clara County's unit of the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Freels has worked at more wildfires this year than he can name. "It's been a long summer," he said.
San Bernardino County Fire spokeswoman Tracey Martinez said the fire crews would likely stay through the weekend.
About 90 engine companies were staged and ready Thursday at the National Orange Show grounds in anticipation of the explosive weather formula of hot Santa Ana winds combined with a red flag warning.
County officials have scheduled a fire recovery information fair for this afternoon. San Bernardino County’s Fire Emergency Local Assistance Center and other groups and agencies will be on hand to meet with mountain residents to discuss what kinds of assistance are available. The event is not a town hall-style meeting. The information fair will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Hootman Senior Center, 2929 Running Springs School Road, Running Springs.
With displaced victims of the recent wildfires moving from the National Orange Show evacuation center back home to the mountains, the county at noon today will scale back the scope of the Fire Emergency Local Assistance Center.
The FELAC, located in the Dome building at the National Orange Show, has served as a one-stop center housing more than 40 county, state, federal, and private agencies offering a wide array of services to help fire victims get back on their feet. The center has offered services ranging from counseling to small business assistance, from social services to property assessment, and from disaster aid to guidance on waste management.
“The FELAC is a truly innovative and unique concept pioneered by the County of San Bernardino during the aftermath of the 2003 wildfires,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Paul Biane.
“The county established the current FELAC in less than 24 hours while the fires were still raging in our local mountains,” Biane said. “More than 5,000 fire victims have visited the center during the past week, and the services there have played a central role in helping people rebuild their lives.”
Starting at noon today, the FELAC will be converted into a FEMA/OES Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) housing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the state Office of Emergency Services. The DRC will operate Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
FEMA will also establish a presence in the mountains, and the county as well will locate office space in the mountains from which to offer an array of services for those working to recover from the fires.
The county is also creating a “virtual FELAC” that will be housed on the county website, www.sbcounty.gov. The virtual FELAC will contain the name, description, phone number, and web link for each of the agencies offering services.
Disaster information and assistance continues to be available by calling 211 within the county and 1 (888) 435-7565 from outside the county, or by logging onto the county website, www.sbcounty.gov, and clicking “Disaster Recovery Assistance.”
-- George Watson