Santa Ana Winds Put Southern California Under Red Alert

Washington, Jan 13 (Prensa Latina) American authorities from California issued a red alert because of the strong winds that are howling through the Southern part of this state and that could cause big wildfires, spokesmen informed.

The National Weather Service said that surveillance in Los Angeles and Ventura counties will last until Wednesday afternoon, after facing extreme drought conditions by the third year in a row.

Such strong winds, known as Santa Ana winds, tend to reach over 60 miles per hour in the mountains of Los Angeles and Santa Monica counties, and 50 miles in the valleys.

Authorities sent firefighter backup forces to high danger areas, where the accumulated debris of vegetables and leafs could start a small fire and cause the fast spread of flames.

Santa Ana winds are generally defined as hot, dry air currents which blow from east or northeast, with wind gusts that hit more than the 70 miles per hour in extensive areas, and more than 185 kilometers per hour or 115 miles per hour in favorable areas.

These winds represent a major challenge because of the great danger of fires, high temperature, and the relative low humidity that comes along with them.