A high wind warning is in effect for Riverside County through Saturday, Oct. 17, with gusts up to 65 mph forecast. The National Weather Service upgraded its earlier watch after Santa Ana wind conditions strengthened.

The NWS issued the warning Thursday, Oct. 15, at 5:33 a.m. for San Bernardino and Riverside County valleys, according to the Press-Enterprise. It runs until 8 p.m. Saturday.

Northeast winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts of 55 to 65 mph are expected Thursday and Friday, the NWS said. Winds will be strongest Friday. By Saturday, gusts should ease to 35 to 45 mph as winds shift easterly.

CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department said on X that valley gusts could reach 55 mph, with mountain and pass gusts up to 60 mph. Below San Gorgonio Pass, isolated gusts could top 70 mph.

"Damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines. … People are urged to secure loose objects that could be blown around or damaged by the wind," the NWS said.

The agency initially issued a high wind watch Oct. 13. The escalation to a warning signals forecasters are more confident the dangerous conditions will arrive.

Fire agencies preposition crews

Gov. Gavin Newsom directed CAL FIRE and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to preposition firefighters, aircraft and equipment across Southern California, according to a governor's office press release.

Cal OES began deploying resources Thursday morning and will remain deployed through Sunday, Oct. 18, the release said. The agency is staging assets in seven counties, with local fire officials determining exact locations.

CAL FIRE is increasing staffing and positioning engine strike teams across Southern California, according to the governor's office. Cal OES is placing additional firefighters, aircraft and equipment in Orange, Ventura, Los Angeles and Santa Barbara counties.

Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Associated Press that "the whole SoCal region should really be on alert."

Power shutoffs possible

Southern California Edison warned it was considering Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) for nearly 260,000 customers across seven counties, according to KTLA. The largest concentrations are in Ventura County with about 129,000 customers and Los Angeles County with about 96,000.

Riverside County is not among the seven counties Edison listed for potential shutoffs. Wind-related outages from downed trees and power lines remain possible across the region, however.

The utility de-energizes power lines during high winds to reduce the chance that electrical sparks could ignite a wildfire. If power is shut off, restoration may take more than eight hours after winds subside, KTLA reported.

Residents who rely on electricity-powered medical equipment may qualify for their utility provider's Medical Baseline Program, which provides advance shutoff notifications, according to the governor's office.

What Murrieta residents should do

CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department urged residents to secure outdoor items, use caution while driving, prepare for power outages and monitor official weather updates.

The governor's office recommended reviewing evacuation routes, packing a go-bag with essential supplies and avoiding outdoor activities that could create sparks. Residents can sign up for local emergency alerts at listoscalifornia.org.

The high wind warning remains in effect for Riverside County valleys until 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17.