FALLBROOK, Calif. (KGTV) – San Diego County is in store for another hot week, and many are expected to feel that dreaded humidity too.
“As of right now, it's a little bit humid. Weather's been a little bit better as far as for not having fire weather,” Captain Richard Berry of the North County Fire Protection District said.
While it might be a breezy yet balmy start to the week on Monday, Berry and the North County Fire Protection District are reminding people to be prepared for fires before smoke is seen.
“The threat is there. The heat is here, uh, the vegetation is drying out, so, uh, anything can definitely spark a wildland fire at this time,” Berry said. “It's basically a year-round event. We've had multiple fires in the community.”
Berry estimated there have been at least 8 to 10 wildfires that have started in the community within recent months.
The North County Fire Protection District is also reminding folks not to let their guard down during year-round fire season.
“They should be very well versed in ‘Ready, set, go.’ Ready being right now to, you know, get your house ready, defensible space, get some valuables ready that you're ready to go,” Berry said. “Set meaning basically that's the time evacuation orders come in, you'll be prepared to take off.”
Cal Fire said not just North County, but everywhere, should be prepared, even if monsoon moisture is coming into our area.
“What that brings us is the potential of thunderstorms, um, and potentially having some lightning, whether it's dry or wet lightning, uh, when it's accompanied by rain,” Capt. Oscar Sotelo of Cal Fire San Diego said. “So, it does increase the potential of the amount of fires that we might get in the region.”
Sotelo told ABC 10News that lightning strikes can happen anywhere, including places where someone may not see them. He said data on lightning strikes and a vast camera system help Cal Fire pinpoint where the bolts hit and if a fire happened.
“They do have an AI component. So, out in our command center, uh, the captain's there, and the dispatchers do monitor the cameras and, you know, kind of get a signal when the AI detection does notice either an anomaly or an actual smoke,” Sotelo said. “And we could start a response to head out that way to go investigate and determine if it is an actual fire or not and start putting the fire out.”
