LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- A windstorm that forecasters described as potentially destructive and life-threatening is impacting a large swath of Southern California, dramatically raising the risk of wildfires for the next several days.
Firefighters are battling a fire in the foothills of Pacific Palisades, a Los Angeles coastal neighborhood. Another brush fire erupted in the evening in the Eaton Canyon area near Altadena, prompting mandatory evacuations. Then late Tuesday night, the Hurst Fire erupted in the Sylmar area.
Winds are expected to peak in the early hours of Wednesday, when gusts could reach 80 mph, the National Weather Service said. Isolated gusts could top 100 mph in mountains and foothills.
Red flag warnings are in effect and will and remain in place until 6 p.m. Thursday for the Malibu coast, the Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, the San Gabriel Valley, the San Fernando Valley, Calabasas, the Santa Clarita Valley, the San Gabriel Mountains, and the 5 Freeway and 14 Freeway corridors.
A 30-acre brush fire erupted Tuesday morning in Pacific Palisades, threatening structures as a powerful windstorm battered the region.
The fire was reported shortly before 10:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of North Piedra Morada Drive, just north of the Palisades Hills Recreation Center.
No evacuation orders or warnings were immediately issued.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District on Tuesday issued a windblown dust advisory for a wide swath of Southern California.
Affected cities across several counties included Santa Clarita, Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Ontario, Riverside, Menifee and Indio.
The advisory is scheduled to take effect at 10 a.m. Tuesday and will expire at 6 p.m. Wednesday.
"High PM10 levels in the region are a result of gusty Santa Ana winds, which can lift dust and soil into the air," the AQMD said in a statement, referring to particulate matter with a diameter of 10 micrometers or less, which is small enough to be inhaled and reach the lungs.
High winds may also disperse ash from the Line, Airport and Bridge wildfire burn scars, the agency said.
The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District announced it was closing all Malibu schools Tuesday due to dangerous weather conditions but that Santa Monica schools remained open.
The closure includes Malibu Elementary, Webster Elementary, Malibu Middle and Malibu High schools.
"We continue to monitor the situation along with our partners including the City of Malibu and So Cal Edison and will keep you informed of plans for reopening.
"We share your concerns, and our thoughts are with the Malibu community during this challenging weather event," Superintendent Antonio Shelton said in a statement. "We share your concerns, and our thoughts are with the Malibu community during this challenging weather event."
Santa Monica schools will remain open.
According to a Los Angeles Unified School District spokesperson, they are relocating Topanga Elementary School to Woodland Hills Academy out of an abundance of caution.
The district implemented the following precautionary measures for its schools:
The strong winds could knock trees over and cause branches to strike power lines, potentially causing power outages.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power urges customers to prepare for possible power outages by keeping a flashlight nearby, keeping your cell phone fully charged, and keeping a portable charger handy.
If you see a downed line, the LADWP urges you to not approach nor touch it. Immediately report it 9-1-1. You can track and report outages here.
