Red flag warning, fire danger remains high
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning through Wednesday as winds, dry vegetation and low humidity heighten fire risk
COUNTY — The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for much of San Diego County on Monday and runs until 6 p.m. Wednesday as threats of wildfires remain high.
Santa Ana winds are also a cause of the warning, along with low humidity and dry vegetation, the weather service said in an announcement. San Diego Gas & Electric also sent a notice to customers and initiated public safety power shutoffs (PSPS) on Thursday as a precaution.
In a press release, SDG&E said the company may need to enact another PSPS 54,937 customers as early as Monday as a measure of “last resort to reduce wildfire risk.” SDG&E conducted a PSPS for more than 64,000 customers last week due to fire threats.
“Our region is experiencing elevated wildfire conditions and the driest start to the rainy season in San Diego County in the past 174 years,” the company said in a press release, and reiterated by Sebastian Westerlink, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego.
Westerlink said just 0.14 inches of rain have been accumulated since Oct. 1, the start of the rainy season.
“Initiating a PSPS is a last resort measure that is necessary to protect the community from wildfire risks, which include critically low vegetation moisture, low humidity levels, and widespread wind gusts exceeding 60-70 mph,” SDG&E said. “SDG&E’s meteorology team is closely monitoring weather conditions circuit by circuit in communities that are at risk of safety power shutoffs. SDG&E will only turn off power in targeted areas when weather conditions warrant doing so.”
San Diego, Riverside, Orange and San Bernardino all are on high alert due to the current conditions and the raging wildfires in Los Angeles.
In San Diego County, the weather service is forecasting wind gusts from 26 mph in Oceanside to 33 mph at Palomar Mountain, 35 mph in Escondido and 41 mph in Ramona. Westerlink said gusts are forecasted to reach up to 55 mph in canyons.
He said the region was at a higher threat level last week due to higher winds and gusts, but the next two days are still precarious. Westerlink urged residents to remain vigilant, pull items off outdoor spaces and be “fire ready,” as any wildfire has the potential to spread rapidly.
He said rain isn’t likely, although there is a “slight, emphasis on the slight,” chance of rain this weekend. Westerlink said the most likely result is a deeper marine layer and higher humidity.
“Any fires that ignite could spread rapidly and out of control,” he added. “I wouldn’t say we were at the same level of threat as last week, but it’s always good to have a go plan. This week is still a pretty high fire threat. Our fire threats have been super critical as of late because of how dry the conditions have been.”
Another concern from some residents in Oceanside was whether the city has the water to fight a wildfire. Those concerns stem from the empty Santa Ynez Reservoir near Pacific Palisades and hurting firefighting efforts, according to reports.
The Oceanside Fire Department sent a notification and social media posts saying there is surface water ready from the Buena Vista Lagoon and Olivenhain and San Vicente reservoirs. The department said all 7,400 fire hydrants undergo regular maintenance and are operational if needed.
OFD, along with other departments in the county, has sent teams to Los Angeles to help battle those fires.
The L.A. wildfires sparked last week with the Palisades Fire, which has burned 23,713 acres as of Sunday, according to the L.A. Times. It’s raged across the region north of Santa Monica and has burned more than 5,300 structures with another 12,000 under threat.
Also, the Eaton Fire has torched Altadena and parts of Pasadena as the blaze has ravaged 14,117 acres. It was 33% contained as of Monday. The Palisades and Eaton fires have also killed 25 people.
The Hurst Fire burned 779 acres around Sylmar but is now 95% contained and evacuation orders have been lifted, the Times reported.
About 92,000 people are still under evacuation orders, while another 89,000 are under evacuation warnings, according to USA Today.
SDG&E also recommends preparing by having easy access to identification, insurance policies, medical information, financial records and legal documents, to name a few. Check out there full checklist and emergency plans here.
Up-to-date information on locations that may be potentially affected can be found at sdge.com/ready. Customers are encouraged to sign up to receive alerts from SDG&E at sdge.com/notifications and download the free Alerts by SDG&E app.
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