Millions of Southern Californians nervously kept watch as winds began picking up overnight during a final round of dangerous wildfire weather forecast for the region where two massive blazes have killed at least 25 people and destroyed thousands of homes.
A day after firefighters got a reprieve with lighter winds than expected, gusts were hitting up to 56km/h on the coast and in valleys and 88km/h in the mountains before dawn, National Weather Service meteorologist Todd Hall said. They were expected to increase through the morning.
“This is really just the last push of these winds here today,” Hall said. “Hopefully, if we get through today, we’re going to have some better conditions…