Wind gusts up to 55 mph could hit Camarillo and Moorpark starting Wednesday, Oct. 14, as the season's first Santa Ana wind event sweeps through Ventura County.

The National Weather Service office in Oxnard issued a Wind Advisory on Tuesday, Oct. 13, covering Central Ventura County Valleys and Southeastern Ventura County Valleys. Both zones include the Camarillo and Moorpark area. The advisory takes effect at 6 a.m. Wednesday and runs through 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 15.

The NWS forecasts northeast winds of 20 to 30 mph with gusts ranging from 35 to 55 mph. The agency warned that gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects, snap tree limbs and knock out power. Driving could be difficult, especially for high-profile vehicles such as trucks and trailers.

NWS meteorologist Ryan Kittell, based at the Oxnard office, told the Los Angeles Times that the combination of wind, heat and dry air raises fire danger across the region. Humidity is expected to drop to between 5% and 15%.

"The wind itself could cause issues like downed power lines, power outages, road hazards and general nuisance," Kittell said.

The NWS also issued red-flag warnings for most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties, in effect Thursday, Oct. 15, and Friday, Oct. 16. A separate fire weather watch covers the Northern and Southern Ventura County Mountains through Friday evening. The NWS said fire weather watches will likely be upgraded to red-flag warnings by Wednesday, according to an NWS statement reported by the Sacramento Bee.

Climate scientist Daniel Swain of UC Agriculture and Natural Resources said Ventura County faces elevated fire risk because the area received little to no rain from post-Tropical Storm Rachel, unlike areas east of the 405 Freeway that saw 2 to 5 inches. Swain called it "potentially a fairly high-end event" for western Los Angeles County and Ventura County.

Heat advisory follows

A separate NWS Heat Advisory takes effect at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, and runs through 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17, for Ventura County Beaches and Ventura County Inland Coast. Temperatures could reach 95 degrees.

The NWS advised residents to drink plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned spaces and check on relatives and neighbors. If wildfire smoke reaches the area, the agency recommended setting air conditioning to recirculate indoor air rather than drawing from outside.

Kittell said there is a high risk for heat illness from Thursday through Saturday, noting that many coastal residents lack air conditioning.

How to prepare

The NWS urged residents to secure loose outdoor objects, avoid unnecessary travel during peak gusts and use extra caution on the road. Residents can sign up for VC Alert emergency notifications at VCEmergency.com.

Residents can also check SCE's outage page at sce.com for power shutoff updates during the wind event.