Heat Wave Stokes Fire Fears
The current heat wave that is providing some unseasonably favorable October beach weather is also a major potential threat to the Los Angeles area, the National Weather Service said Wednesday.
The NWS said the greatest threat will be from Wednesday through Thursday morning, "when offshore winds will bring near-critical fire weather."
A brush fire near Santa Barbara had already erupted wednesday morning, threatening about 100 structures, though none have been damaged yet.
While highs Wednesday are expected to spike into the high-90s and low-100s, they should fall back to more reasonable autumnal temperatures by the weekend.
Los Angeles residents are encouraged to drink plenty of nonalcoholic fluids, wear light-colored and lightweight clothing, and to be mindful not to leave pets or children in cars, even with the windows down.
