Fire Danger: Thunderstorm Warning in Effect for L.A. Basin

The National Weather Service is predicting dry lightning strikes and gusty winds for the greater Los Angeles area - a combination that could spark wild fires.

The agency has issued a red flag warning through 11 p.m., during which time scattered thunderstorms are expected in the Antelope Valley and the mountains of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The Los Angeles County Fire Department advises residents who live in brush areas to take the following precautions: 

• Report any sign of smoke immediately to your local fire station by dialing 911 (if you dial 911 from your cell phone, you MUST know your location). La Cañada's two fire stations are  and .

• Have an evacuation plan in place and identify two exit routes from your neighborhood. Oblige fire or police officials if asked to evacuate. 

• Recognize the signs of an oncoming electrical storm - towering clouds with a "cauliflower" shape, dark skies and distant rumbles of thunder or flashes of lightning.

• Do not wait for lightning to strike nearby before taking cover.

Wildfire and lightning storm safety tips may be found at http://www.fire.lacounty.org.