California fire alert sounds alarm --- for arsonists

A strange warning in radio news reports greeted motorists, especially alarming to those in Southern California, on the way to work on Monday.

Those listening to ABC Network news on the hour, for example, heard lines such as:

“Authorities in Southern California are sounding the alert for more fires this week.”

“Look out Southern California, more fires possible.”

Meanwhile, Los Angeles TV station KTLA sent a field reporter to warn of "high winds and dry conditions" as old footage of blazing brush and aircraft water drops flashed on the screen   --- to remind viewers with short memories of what happens with wildfires. 

Suggesting another potential upcoming crisis, it’s the first time Grumpy Editor heard what could be termed “public service announcements” to alert firebugs --- informing arsonists of “ripe” days this week to strike matches.

It comes at a time when some fire setters still are being hunted from blazes last month in Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties.  Those fires consumed 780 square miles and destroyed more than 2,000 homes.

The radio and TV alerts were traced to an Associated Press story by Jacob Adelman with a Los Angeles dateline.  It dealt with “deploying firefighting crews and equipment…as meteorologists predicted a return of the dry winds that stoked last month’s devastating wildfires.”

It’s nice to know that firefighting crews are on standby.  But they always are with Santa Ana winds --- common during late fall and winter months --- predicted to whip through Southern California. 

Tail end of the AP story mentions a National Weather Service meteorologist expects sustained winds, starting tonight, are expected to hit 30 m.p.h.

That’s at the low end of Santa Ana conditions.