VENTURA COUNTY FIRESTORM : WEATHER : More Strong Gusts Are Predicted

Dry Santa Ana winds that fanned the Thousand Oaks fire Tuesday should gather strength today, blowing in gusts of up to 40 m.p.h. before subsiding later in the week, forecasters said.

The National Weather Service has issued a wind warning for strong offshore winds in coastal Ventura County through 4 p.m. today.

As the fire peaked Tuesday, the relative humidity in Thousand Oaks hovered at just 8%, well below the moist 50% level that is typical when coastal breezes reach inland, said meteorologist Dennis Tussey of the National Weather Service in Oxnard.

The humidity was expected to rise overnight to 40% in inland Ventura County and drop to between 8% and 16% today, forecasters said.

Winds were measured up to 33 m.p.h. at Laguna Peak and up to 27 m.p.h. at the Oxnard Airport on Tuesday, according to the weather service. Winds are predicted to range between 15 and 25 m.p.h. today in Ventura County, with occasional gusts up to 40 m.p.h.

High temperatures complicated the job of firefighters, with Thousand Oaks recording a high of 91. Highs in the county Tuesday ranged from 78 in Ventura to 94 in Santa Paula.

Forecasters blamed the hot, windy weather on a Santa Ana condition that is characteristic of fall in Southern California. As a weak storm system worked its way down the California coast, air drained off a high-pressure system over the Rocky Mountains, heating and drying as it descended, said meteorologist Curtis Brack of WeatherData Inc.

Earl Clayton, spokesman for the 1.7-million-acre Los Padres National Forest, said forest officials are keeping a wary eye on the weather.

Wind-Whipped Flames

The blaze that roared through the hills south of Thousand Oaks Tuesday forced dozens of residents to evacuate and homes were destroyed. Firefighters on the ground and in the air tackled the fire, which was fueled by classic Santa Ana conditions--extremely low humidity, high temperatures and strong winds.

Gearing Up for a Wildfire

Ground crew firefighters are outfitted with fire-resistant clothing layered over their regular clothes to reduce the risk of burns. Cutting and scraping tools are used to stop the fire’s spread by removing brush along its edges.

Pulaski: Cuts with ax end and digs roots out with hoe or grub end

Shovel: For throwing dirt or scraping trail

McLeod: Scraping tool used to rake on one side and hoe on other

Helmet

Jacket of fire-resistant Nomex material

Insulated leather gloves

Belt holds two canteens of water

Leather chaps are worn by crew members using chainsaws

Goggles

Fire-resistant shroud

Backpack holds gear, personal items and flares to light backfires

Pack with emergency fire shelter tent

Fire-resistant pants

Work boots

Sources: Chief Robert MacMilan, Los Angeles City Fire Department; Capt. John P. Harris, Los Angeles County Fire Department; Wildland Firefighting

Researched by JULIE SHEER / Los Angeles Times