LOS ANGELES – Powerful wind gusts knocked down power lines and blew several transformers Monday, causing outages to nearly 10,000 homes and businesses.
The National Weather Service said Santa Ana wind gusted as high as 94 mph in the mountains north of the city. The wind combined with low humidity prompted forecasters to issue a "red flag" warning, indicating conditions conducive to brush fires through Tuesday evening.
The wind hampered firefighters' efforts to douse a blaze that gutted a historic church in Hollywood. A city Fire Department spokeswoman says no one was inside the Little Country Church of Hollywood, and officials were investigating the cause of the fire.
A Department of Water and Power spokeswoman said about 9,900 utility customers were without power.
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