Extremely dry and blustery conditions will create acute fire hazards this week across much of the San Diego area, meteorologists advised Tuesday.
The expected onset of strong Santa Ana winds and the accompanying potential for critical combustion dangers in local inland valley and mountain locales prompted the National Weather Service to issue a "red flag" wildfire warning, effective from 3 p.m. Wednesday to 11 a.m. Friday.
Due to high winds, Mountain Empire Unified officials announced schools in its district will be closed Wednesday. Parents and guardians are advised to follow San Diego County Office of Education on X, formerly Twitter, for live updates.
San Diego Gas & Electric on Tuesday announced it may have to cut power to more than 24,700 customers in the county's back country as early as Wednesday morning.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs are "approved by state regulators as an important safety tool of last resort to mitigate fire risk during dangerous weather conditions," a statement from SDG&E read.
Customers who have been notified should be prepared to be without power through Friday, but the utility has opened its Emergency Operations Center to monitor conditions and has crews, materials and equipment ready for response.
Over the warning period, humidity levels will fall as low as 11% and winds out of the north and northeast will range from 15 to 30 mph, with gusts hitting 55 mph in some spots, the NWS reported. As a result, any brush fires that erupt would likely spread rapidly and exhibit "extreme behavior," the agency advised.
Authorities advised the public to refrain from any outdoor burning while the wildfire warning remains in effect.
