Cal Fire Battalion Chief Brent Pascua told NewsNation that California faces a critical 12-hour window of dangerous winds, with gusts expected to reach 40-70 mph through Wednesday morning. Two new fires have already erupted in Southern California: the Auto Fire in Ventura County, north of Los Angeles, has burned 56 acres and is 25% contained, while the Scout Fire in Riverside, 50 miles east of L.A., has spread across two acres and remains at 0% containment.
