The San Diego area remained on high wildfire alert Thursday amid a period of extremely dry and blustery Santa Ana conditions, with the heaviest winds expected to kick in as the workweek draws to a close.
Due to improving weather conditions, San Diego Gas & Electric's field crews have begun inspecting power lines and equipment impacted by power shutoffs in order to restore power to some communities.
A live map of power outages is available on SDG&E's website.
A National Weather Service red flag warning for the local inland valleys and mountains will remain in effect until 6 p.m. Friday, alerting the public to a real potential for the type of wildfires that have led to widespread and deadly destruction in the Los Angeles area over the last several days.
The dangerously high winds will strengthen and spread southward through San Diego County over the day Thursday, reaching their zenith overnight and into Friday morning, the NWS advised.
During the period, gusts in locales between the ocean coast and the deserts will likely reach 60-80 mph as humidity levels fall as low as 10%, according to forecasters.
Any fires that erupt in such conditions "will likely spread rapidly," the Weather Service cautioned.
"Outdoor burning is not recommended (during the red-flag period)," the agency stated. "Winds (also) could damage outdoor property and will make for difficult driving conditions."
The blustery air currents are expected to weaken over the late morning and afternoon on Friday, ushering in a spell of gradually cooling temperatures and more typical humidity readings during the weekend and into next week, meteorologists said.
What to pack in an emergency kit:
- A 3-day supply of non-perishable food & 3 gallons of water per person
- A map with at least 2 evacuation routes
- Necessary prescriptions or medications
- A change of clothes & extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
- Extra car keys, credit cards, cash, or traveler’s checks
- A first aid kit & sanitation supplies
- A flashlight & battery-powered radio with extra batteries
- Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
- Pet food & water
Always have sturdy shoes and a flashlight near your bed, ready for sudden night evacuations.
If time allows, consider adding:
- Valuables that are easy to carry
- Family photos and irreplaceable items
- Personal computer data on hard drives and disks
- Chargers for cell phones and laptops
Source: CalFire
