LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Parts of Southern California remained under threat of wildfire  amid strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity, but the winds were expected to decrease by the afternoon, forecasters said.

The anticipated Santa Ana winds would not be “as strong as predicted and latest trends are down,” officials said on Wednesday, Sept. 9. A NWS/LA tweet also said there were still some gusty northeast winds “mainly in the mountains, but not expecting much at all at the coasts” and it would be “adjusting coastal forecasts for cooler temps.’’

The NWS did warn of “critical” overnight fire weather conditions expected across portions of Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

The threat of fire is still viable, in part due to the dryness of the vegetation following a weekend heat wave of unprecedented severity.

A red flag warning for extreme fire danger was canceled for the San Gabriel Valley and the coastal areas of Los Angeles County, but remained in effect until 8 p.m. for the LA County mountains and the San Fernando Valley.

The Bobcat Fire in the Angeles National Forest, which began on Sept. 6, had grown to 11,456 acres on Wednesday with still no containment. Fire officials issued evacuation warnings for residents in Duarte, Bradbury, Monrovia, Acadia, Sierra Madre, Pasadena and Altadena, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Officials with the National Weather Service said the Mount Wilson Observatory was also under evacuation orders.

The Forest Service estimates that the fire — which broke out near the Cogswell Dam and West Fork Day Use area — would not be contained until Oct. 15.

Officials also said that the full closure of the Angeles National Forest — announced Monday along with those of several other national forests in California due to ongoing fire danger across the state — would be in effect until Sept. 14.

Other national forests ordered closed were the San Bernardino National Forest, Cleveland National Forest, Los Padres National Forest, Inyo National Forest, Sequoia National Forest, Sierra National Forest and Stanislaus National Forest.

Restrictions were also imposed on national forest lands throughout the state that were not ordered to close. US Forest Service officials said all ignition sources, such as campfires and gas stoves, will be prohibited across national forest system lands in California. Developed campgrounds and day-use sites in national forests throughout the state will also be closed.