Fire Crews Working Around the Clock Until Santa Ana Conditions Pass

Officials say the air is so dry that it's as if it never rained last week.

San Diego’s Red Flag weather warning has expired but Santa Ana conditions still remain.

Winds and extreme dryness still pose a threat for wildfires across the county, so fully-staffed crews with the United States Forest Service will be working 24-hour shifts until the Santa Ana conditions pass.

“Just because the weather doesn’t meet red flag criteria doesn’t mean we’re not at high fire risk,” said Cleveland National Forest Division Chief Talbot Hayes.

Hayes says that eight crews are strategically position throughout Cleveland National Forest just in case a fire sparks.

"It's still windy enough and dry enough to where if we did get a start it would have the potential to become a large fire very quickly," Hayes said.

There is also somewhat of a balancing act being performed by local crews who have engines assisting with other fires in central California.

In addition to the threat of fire, high temperatures pose numerous health risks to people of all ages. Staying in a cool, air-conditioned home can keep you comfortable, but costs associated with keeping your house cool drive some people to shelter from the heat elsewhere.

Gregory Moraros, an Escondido resident, is one of those people. He spent the day at Escondido Community Center taking advantage of the free AC so he doesn’t have to run his own at home.

Contact Us