High Winds Cause Rash of Brush Fires, Power Outages

Santa Ana winds gusting up to 50 m.p.h. blew across Ventura County on Tuesday, causing six small brush fires, more than a dozen power outages and one critical accident, officials said.

Officials at the National Weather Service have issued a high-wind advisory that is expected to last through today for Ventura, Los Angeles, San Bernardino and Riverside counties.

Terry Schaeffer, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said he anticipated the winds to calm somewhat later today and return to normal by Thursday afternoon.

Temperatures would probably be cooler this weekend, but more Santa Ana winds might arrive by Sunday, Schaeffer said.

On Tuesday, the California Highway Patrol was also warning motorists of blustery winds, and the California Department of Forestry put most of Southern California on a “red flag watch” because of the extreme fire danger.

“It means that a fire can be started by almost any means, such as a spark from a vehicle,” said Sandi Wells, a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department. “We’re being very careful.”

Authorities said that most of the brush fires were started by sparks from downed power lines, and all were extinguished quickly. The largest fire scorched three acres north of Lake Casitas, near Santa Ana Road and California 33, Wells said.

“We were helped somewhat by the rains we’ve had,” Wells said. “The plants on the hillside have had more water, so they’re less likely to burn.”

The only wind-related accident, authorities said, involved a 74-year-old man who was trapped in his motor home for about 50 minutes.

Lance Walker, of Santa Ana, was driving south on the Pacific Coast Highway near Mugu Rock about 45 m.p.h. when a strong blast of wind caused him to lose control of his vehicle, which overturned, the CHP said.

Walker suffered abdominal injuries and was listed in serious condition later Tuesday at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard.

Police also dealt with false burglar alarms, downed power lines and malfunctioning traffic signals. “It’s keeping us busy,” said Simi Police Sgt. Arch Morgan.

Southern California Edison officials reported 11 power outages throughout the county, lasting from half a minute to more than two hours and affecting about 26,880 customers.

“In some cases, the palm trees are the culprit,” said Oras Racicot, regional affairs manager. Fronds that blow onto power lines can wreak havoc, he said.

On Tuesday, more than 250 employees were responding to outages in the county, Racicot said. “It’s part of the business,” he said.

In Moorpark, a late-afternoon power outage forced cancellation of classes for about 1,000 students at Moorpark College, said spokesman Gerry Olsen.

Another outage at a Moorpark polling place, the Church of Latter-day Saints on Collins Drive, forced voting by flashlight, said Tracy Saucedo, a county elections clerk.

Some Ventura County crops took a beating from the winds, said Rex Laird, executive director of the Ventura County Farm Bureau. Citrus and avocado growers in particular have to worry, he said.

“Leaves and branches are striking the fruit and blemishing the fruit,” Laird said. The inside of the fruit won’t be affected by the winds, but few people will want to buy an item that looks battered, he said.

For Dr. James Orlowski, business goes up when the Santa Ana winds sweep in. Orlowski is an Oxnard physician who specializes in allergy and asthma problems, and on Tuesday, his office was busier than usual, he said.

“It gets pretty tough because of all the stuff that gets kicked up in the air,” Orlowski said.

His advice to sufferers is simple: drink more fluids to compensate for the low humidity, and don’t forget to take any prescribed medications.

“And if you can,” he adds, “stay inside.”