Santa Ana Season: Why November Is Still Fire Season in Southern California

A lot of people think fire season ends when summer does. In Southern California, it doesn't. Some of our worst fires have come in the fall and winter, when the Santa Ana winds blow hot, dry air off the desert and push embers for miles. The Woolsey Fire that burned near my home in West Hills was a November fire.

Why the Winds Matter

Santa Ana winds do three things at once. They dry out vegetation. They drop the humidity. And they carry embers far ahead of the fire front. That last one is the big one. Most homes that burn in a wildfire are lit by embers, not by a wall of flame.

What to Do When the Forecast Calls for Santa Anas

• Sign up for your county's emergency alerts and keep your phone charged.
• Clear leaves and debris from gutters, roofs, decks and the first five feet around your home.
• Move patio cushions, doormats and firewood away from the house.
• Put your hose, valve, wrench and nozzle where you can grab them in seconds.
• Fuel your car and keep your go-bag by the door.

What You Need to Know

Windy, dry days are ember days. Your yard work lowers the odds of an ember catching. Your equipment is there for the one that lands anyway.

Call 911 first. Always. Check your local laws and talk to your local fire department before you use a hydrant. Equipment supplements evacuation. It never replaces it. When you're told to go, go.

See the Ace Fire Defense Complete Hydrant Kit →

It's insanity not to be prepared. Please like and share this. It helps neighborhoods be safe.

Sherwin Ross is the founder of Ace Fire Defense, based in West Hills, CA. After the 2018 Woolsey Fire, he became CERT-trained and started building wildfire defense equipment for homeowners.