Sierra Madre warns of Red Flag winds; SCE to replace poles by helicopter, county opens mudflow hotline

Sierra Madre City Manager Jose Reynoso on Sunday, Jan. 19, said the National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for Monday, Jan. 20, for strong northeast winds and urged residents to take fire‑safety precautions. He said Chief Brent Bartlett has activated red flag parking restrictions effective Monday at 8 a.m. and warned that the weather increases the risk of power outages.

The alert is timed ahead of Southern California Edison work in the area to replace power poles. "If you're in an area where helicopters are replacing power poles, please stay indoors to avoid the potential for airborne particulates," Reynoso said, noting crews will use helicopters over the next few days as part of the replacement effort.

Reynoso also relayed information from Los Angeles County Public Works for homeowners near the foothills and in fire‑impacted zones: the county has opened a mudflow hotline at 1‑800‑933‑0930. "If you live in a home against the foothills in the impacted fire zone, please call the county mudflow hotline and leave your information," he said. Reynoso said a county representative will contact callers within 48 hours to set up an appointment and that the county will send an engineer to assess homes and provide recommendations to protect properties.

City staff advised residents to avoid activities that could create sparks or flames, to keep streets clear for emergency responders and to subscribe to NextWay emergency alerts and the city's official social media pages for updates. "For everyone's safety, we urge you to keep the streets clear for emergency responders," Reynoso said.

The remarks were delivered as a city manager update; no formal actions or votes were recorded on the items discussed.