Red Flag Parking Restrictions Are in Effect

Parking along narrow, hillside roads in fire-prone sections of the city of Los Angeles could get you a ticket today or worse -- your car towed away.

The Los Angeles Fire Department warned that, because of Santa Ana winds and low relative humidity, that "red flag" parking restrictions would be in place, starting at 8 a.m. and continuing through 8 a.m. Monday, or until further notice.

The city instituted the restrictions a few years ago to make sure narrow, hillside road would not be so constricted that fire engines couldn't pass to get to wildfires.

When the ordinance was first triggered on Dec. 13, 2006, 113 vehicles were ticketed and 18 were towed away.

The forecast calls for a moderately strong Santa Ana winds overnight and in the morning, with winds out of the north and east gusting up to about 40 mph in parts of the city. Gusts across the mountains and through passes could be up to about 60 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

County firefighters are putting 200-300 extra people on the payroll to be ready for any wildfire that may break out. They are also urging people to be extremely careful with fire or anything that could start one. The relative humidity may drop below 10 percent at times over the next day or so, according to the NWS.

Highs around the city today should be in the low- and mid-70s.

-from City News Service