Strong winds, dry conditions and warmer temperatures are forecast for the Inland Empire on Friday.

Strong gusty winds are expected in the region for hours, and about 74,000 Southern California Edison customers in Riverside and San Bernardino counties have been warned that power could be shut off for safety reasons.

In windier areas, gusts between 30 and 40 mph are possible. According to the National Weather Service, some areas may experience sustained (northerly) winds of 25 mph and gusts of more than 35 mph for up to six hours in the afternoon when humidity is less than 15%.

The red flag warning, which means a higher risk of wildfires, is in effect from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday, while the wind warning remains in effect until 6 a.m. Saturday.

“Critical fire weather conditions will occur from the San Bernardino Mountains in the southwest across the Inland Empire to the Santa Ana Mountains, particularly due to dry (vegetation) conditions,” the NWS said.

Other areas that could face an SCE power shutdown include Inyo County, with 359 customers; Los Angeles County, 23,849 customers; Mono County, 888 customers; Orange County, 7,794 customers and Ventura County, 14,093 customers.