SAN DIEGO (CNS) - Santa Ana winds and low humidity levels will keep the risk of wildfire high across the San Diego area into Tuesday, as they did for much of last week.
To alert the public to the combustion hazards posed by the gusty and arid conditions, the National Weather Service issued a red flag wildfire warning for local mountain and western-valleys communities, effective through 10 p.m. Tuesday. A high-wind warning also will be in effect from 6 this evening through noon Tuesday in those same areas.
Outdoor burning, mechanized brush clearing and other potentially spark-creating activities should be avoided over the period, as any fires that develop will spread rapidly, according to the NWS.
As of late this afternoon, San Diego Gas & Electric had instituted public-safety power shutoffs in parts of Descanso, Jamul, Potrero, Ramona, Santa Ysabel and Valley Center in a bid to avoid any blazes ignited by transmission equipment.
A total of 2,807 addresses were affected, and the utility advised another 47,676 of its customers across the East County that their power might be shut off as a precaution as well.
Conditions are expected to warm up Tuesday and Wednesday, after which temperatures will drop slightly on Thursday and Friday, forecasters said.
