Powerful Winds Expected to Ease
The gusty northeast winds that swept across Ventura County on Tuesday, fanning two small grass fires and downing several trees, were expected to die down considerably today.
The two brush fires both occurred in School Canyon off Ventura Avenue in Ventura. The first, a small half-acre blaze, was reported about 1 p.m. and quickly extinguished. Firefighters responded to the second fire about 3:15 p.m., which grew to three acres before being contained about 45 minutes later, said Mary Tucker, a spokeswoman for the Ventura County Fire Department.
Crews were expected to remain in the canyon until sundown. Investigators had not yet determined causes for the fires.
Tuesday’s winds blew from 20 to 30 m.p.h. below mountain passes, gusting to 40 m.p.h.
David Gomberg, a forecaster with the National Weather Service, said the winds were caused by a large high-pressure system over Nevada and Idaho funneling cool air toward Southern California.
Gomberg said the gusts differed from the classic Santa Ana winds because they did not bring a sharp upswing in temperatures.
Dispatchers with the California Highway Patrol said the weather caused no serious problems in Ventura County, although several trees were reported down in the western half of the county.
Temperatures today are expected to be in the mid-60s, dropping to the upper-30s and mid-40s at night with clear skies and light winds.
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