Extremely dry and blustery conditions will create acute fire hazards Wednesday and for the rest of the week across much of the San Diego area, meteorologists advised.
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.
In a statement, San Diego Gas & Electric said it has begun Public Safety Power Shutoffs in some communities in an effort to reduce wildfire risk. As of Wednesday, 683 customers in Boulevard and Campo have their power shut off. See a live map of impacted areas on SDG&E's website.
The Boulevard Community Center is open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. for residents impacted by the power outages. SDG&E said it will have Wi-Fi, and phone and medical device charging.
There's 24,057 customers at risk of potential power shut offs this week, according to SDG&E. That includes people in Alpine, Chula Vista, Escondido and Ramona. See a complete list online.
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.
