Infamous Winds, Infamous Fires

The Widower’s benches are located at the junction of the San Gabriel and Santa Susana Mountains. Winds are common in this region, particularly when high pressure develops over the Great Basin leading to “Santa Ana Conditions”. Santa Ana winds are strong, extremely dry offshore winds that affect coastal Southern California and northern Baja California in autumn and winter. Santa Ana winds can be either hot or cold, depending in part upon the prevailing temperatures in the Great Basin and upper Mojave Desert where they originate. The winds are known for the hot dry weather they bring in the fall, and are infamous for fanning wildfires. The National Weather Service defines Santa Ana winds as "Strong down slope winds that blow through the mountain passes in southern California. These winds, which can easily exceed 40 mph, are warm and dry and can severely exacerbate brush or forest fires, especially under drought conditions." Santa Ana winds start when air masses in the high desert are cool, and therefore very dense. This dense air channels down the valleys and canyons in gusts which can attain hurricane force. As air descends it warms adiabatically by compression. As it heats, the relative humidity drops. Winds are often very strong at both the Mission Peak and Wilson Canyon benches because they are located in the drainage path between the Antelope Valley and the Pacific Ocean. In November 2008, one year before Cheryl Morgan’s passing, and two years before Roberta Herr’s passing, we were confronted with wildfire. At 10:30 PM on November 14, we received a knock on our door from our neighbor, and upon exiting the home witnessed an orange glow in the hills above Veterans Park, near the May Canyon Trailhead. After reporting the fire, we proceeded to wake the neighbors and call the Morgans. Before we could exit our block, fire was burning in our backyard, and within a few hours it had jumped the Golden State Freeway and was burning in the Santa Susana Mountains above the Morgan’s home.