Red Flag Alert Goes into Effect for Malibu

By Anne Soble

All Malibuites are urged to go into wildfire preparation mode and exercise vigilance during what is expected to be two or more days of intense wind activity and high brushfire susceptibility.

The National Weather Service has issued red flag and strong wind warnings for Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains that are forecast to go into effect late Wednesday evening, continue through Friday afternoon, and possibly have an intermittent influence during the weekend.

The NWS forecast indicates that wind speeds could exceed 40 mph and gusts might reach 70 or more mph in the greater Malibu area. When coupled with the anticipated low humidity, the winds not only pose a major wildfire threat, but also could result in downed trees and power lines and other damage.

Malibuites are urged to windproof their residences and grounds, secure anything that might become airborne, stay vigilant for signs of fire or suspicious fire-related activity, and exercise extreme caution when driving on wind impacted roadways.