by Mick Rhodes | editor@claremont-courier.com

After a much welcomed reprieve, dangerously strong winds returned to Claremont and the rest of Southern California on Monday.

“Everyone needs to be on high alert,” Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said at a news conference. “Los Angeles and partner firefighters are pre-deployed, and we ask Angelenos to be prepared in case they need to evacuate.”

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings from noon Monday to 10 a.m. Tuesday in foothill and mountain areas in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Winds in excess of 75 mph were recorded Monday in the affected mountain areas, mirroring the conditions that sparked the deadly and destructive Palisades and Eaton fires January 7-8.