Dry conditions remain in the Los Angeles area causing critical fire danger, but a chance of rain is in the forecast over the weekend.

A particularly dangerous situation red flag warning is in place from noon Monday to 10 a.m. Tuesday local time for a large portion of Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the Hughes fire broke out in Castaic amidst the red flag warning, spreading to over 9,000 acres by Wednesday evening as dry and windy weather affected the area.

Southern California is expected to see its first rain of the winter this weekend, but it will have to get through a couple more days of windy fire weather first. The National Weather Service warned that single-digit humidity and strong wind gusts on Thursday and into early Friday will create elevated wildfire conditions – again.

The dangerous fire conditions in Southern California are expected to last a little longer than previously anticipated. The red flag warning was set to expire at 2 p.m., but the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in an alert that it had been extended until 10 p.

LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley said the department has staffed all available resources and fire patrols and engines are being strategically placed in the high-fire risk areas of the city.

State and local officials held a news conference to update Angelenos on the status of the Hughes Fire. Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone reported the blaze north of Los Angeles had grown to 9,

A red flag warning was extended and is now in effect through Friday morning for most of Los Angeles and Ventura counties due to extremely low humidity and offshore wind gusts, according to the National Weather Service.

PM PST, Orange County Inland, Riverside County Mountains, San Bernardino County Mountains, San Bernardino and Riverside County Valleys-The Inland Empire, Santa Ana Mountains and Foothills The red flag warnings for Southern California has been extended to Friday,