Four San Diego communities have been identified as having the highest risk of a devastating fire.
Ramona, Julian, Alpine and Jamul were named in the report by the company Corelogic as having the most homes directly in the line of fire.
In other words, the homes are built very closely to wildland areas with an extremely high potential for an out of control fire like the Witch Creek Fire in 2007 or the Cedar Fire in 2003.
Cal Fire spokesperson Captain Mike Mohler said the results of the report are well known to fire experts.
In fact, firefighters have known about this information for several months because they are constantly monitoring fire conditions but he also says it's a good reminder for residents to be ready for the worst.
"Not only do you need that defensible space, you have to have that evacuation plan and exercise it," Mohler said. Watch: What to have in your disaster kit
“Homeowners need to be diligent on protecting themselves so we can get in there and assist them."
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Corelogic compiles the data using experts for the insurance industry according to Cal Fire.
It’s not just residents in or near rural areas who are "at risk" for a big fire. He reminds residents that in the Cedar Fire, Santa Ana winds pushed the flames all the way from just south of Ramona right into Scripps Ranch.
Fourteen people died in the Cedar Fire sparked on October 25, 2003. There were more than 100 firefighters injured. The fire burned more than 2,200 homes and burned 273,246 acres.
Four years later, on October 21, 2007, the Witch Creek Fire was sparked near Santa Ysabel. Santa Ana conditions pushed the fire west and it quickly spread to San Diego Country Estates, Ramona, Rancho Bernardo, Poway and Escondido. Two people died in the fire and more than 1100 homes were destroyed. More than 270 homes were scorched in Rancho Bernardo alone.
