Arid Santa Ana winds buffeted the San Diego area Monday amid sultry summer-like temperatures, keeping the region on high alert for wildfires.
A National Weather Service “red flag” fire-hazard warning went into effect for the county’s inland valleys and mountains on Sunday — a day after the 10th anniversary of the start of the catastrophic Harris and Witch Creek fires, conflagrations that spread over a total of about 288,400 acres, destroyed more than 1,300 homes and killed seven people.
The torrid conditions, including thermometer readings 20 to 25 degrees above seasonal averages, prompted numerous public schools to implement minimum-day schedules for Monday and Tuesday, while fire agencies across the county have beefed up staffing to deal with potentially dangerous wildfires.
The swelter also resulted in some local heat records, the weather service reported, with afternoon highs of 104 degrees in El Cajon, beating the prior Oct. 23 milestone of 100, set in 2003; 101 in Ramona, (97 degrees, 2003); 100 in Vista (99, 1965); and 99 in Alpine (98, 1959).
The wildfire alert is scheduled to remain in effect through Wednesday evening.
The U.S. Forest Service warned that any wildland blazes erupting under the prevailing conditions likely would spread with perilous speed. The Santa Ana Wildfire Threat Index will be increased Tuesday, when any fire that ignites “will grow rapidly and will be difficult to control,” the agency advised.
To prepare for the increased danger of wildfire, Cal Fire, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and Cleveland National Forest have all beefed up their staffing levels.
Two significant fires erupted in San Diego County on Saturday, as the hot spell was kicking in across the Southland. The so-called Church Fire scorched about 100 acres in the in Campo area, and the El Capitan Fire, sparked by a plane crash believed to have killed two people, burned about 20 acres before firefighters got the flames under control.
Originally set to end Tuesday evening, the red-flag warning was extended to 6 p.m. Wednesday as models showed high winds were expected to continue for another day. Forecasters expect Santa Ana winds gusts as high as 60 mph at times in locales and air-moisture levels dipping into the single digits over the period.
–City News Service