Red Flag fire warnings are expected to persist in the Malibu area along the Southern California coast into Wednesday afternoon after the Franklin Fire, which ignited Monday, forced evacuation orders or warnings for 18,

While longtime San Diego residents are likely familiar with the term, some may be new to the advisory. So, what exactly does a Red Flag Warning mean and why is it important?

Thousands of people could be without power due to the strong winds that are expected to batter Southern California in coming days.