Wildfires latest: Firefighters prepare for dry conditions and strong winds

Firefighters around Los Angeles were preparing on Tuesday to attack flare-ups or new blazes. The National Weather Service issued a rare warning that dry winds combined with severely dry conditions created a “ particularly dangerous situation," indicating that any new fire could explode in size. The warning comes a week after two massive infernos destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

Here's the latest:

Contaminated drinking water is a growing concern for cities facing wildfires

As fires continue to burn across Los Angeles, several utilities have declared their drinking water unsafe until extensive testing can prove otherwise.

A warmer, drier climate means wildfires are getting worse, and encroaching on cities — with devastating impact. Toxic chemicals from those burns can get into damaged drinking water systems, and even filtering or boiling won’t help, experts say.

Last week, Pasadena Water and Power issued a “Do Not Drink” notice to about a third of its customers for the first time since it began distributing water more than a century ago. With at least one burned pump, several damaged storage tanks, and burned homes, they knew there was a chance toxic chemicals had entered their pipes.

“Out of the abundance of caution, you kind of have to assume the worst,” said Stacie Takeguchi, chief assistant general manager for the utility.

This week, they lifted the notice for most of the area after testing.

▶ Read more about how the fires are impacting drinking water

High winds have worsened California wildfires. What makes them?

High winds have been a key ingredient in the devastating wildfires around Los Angeles.

Southern California’s winds typically flow onshore from the Pacific, carrying moist air onto land. The Santa Ana winds are warm currents that move in the opposite direction.

Santa Ana winds typically occur from September through May, and they are so dry that they’ve been linked with some of the worst wildfires the region has ever seen, in part because the lack of humidity in the air contributes to vegetation quickly drying.

▶Read more about how these wildfire-fanning winds occur

Here's where things stand on Tuesday morning

A beefed-up firefighting force was staged around Los Angeles to attack flare-ups or new blazes and anxious residents prepared for more fire danger as winds began to build Tuesday, a week after two massive infernos destroyed thousands of homes and killed at least 24 people.

Dry winds gusted early Tuesday to 40 mph (64 kilometers per hour) in coastal and valley areas and 50 miles per hour (80 kph) in the mountains, said meteorologist Todd Hall of the National Weather Service. Gusts up to 65 mph (105 kph) were forecast to continue through midday Wednesday.

The weather service issued a rare warning that the winds combined with severely dry conditions created a “particularly dangerous situation” indicating that any new fire could explode in size. Hall said the conditions could lead to extreme fire behavior that could spread embers 2 to 3 miles (3 to 5 kilometers) ahead of flames or even cause fire tornadoes.

▶ Read more about what firefighters are preparing for