Santa Ana winds are expected to return at the end of the week, bringing warmer weather and the threat of dangerous fires.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning from noon Thursday until 6 p.m. Friday for the inland valleys, foothills, and mountains.
“Thursday into Friday, we have Santa Ana winds that’ll be developing,” said NBC 7 Meteorologist Sheena Parveen. “This will be brief – just a couple days, but it is going to give us high fire danger.”
NWS said winds could reach up to 30 miles per hour with isolated gusts as fast as 60 miles per hour during this time, and Parveen said humidity will drop to five to 10 percent.
“Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly,” NWS said in its Fire Weather Watch.
Fire departments all over San Diego County are getting ready for the potentially dangerous weather. At the Lakeside Fire Protection District, firefighters are reminding homeowners what to do if a wildfire breaks out.
"Pay attention to your newscasts, weather forecasts, be prepared all year long, have a plan, an evacuation plan, have your belongings, your essentials. You needed things to take with you if you have to evacuate," Lakeside Fire Protection District Division Chief Beto Lawler said.
The department is also adding resources on Thursday and Friday just in case. Cal Fire San Diego started increasing staffing and bringing in more equipment on Monday.
When it comes to wildfire preparations, all the departments say the best thing you can do is be ready all year long. The includes having defensible space around your house.
Most importantly, don't wait until the last minute to get ready.
"We have to be ready but we need the public to ready with us," Cal Fire San Diego Captain Issac Sanchez said.
The fire-whipping winds are produced by surface high pressure over the Great Basin squeezing air down through canyons and passes in Southern California's mountain ranges. They're common in the fall and have a long history of fanning destructive wildfires in the region.
Fall is historically the worst time of the year for damaging wildfires in California. Seven of the state's 10-most destructive wildfires have occurred in October and November.
Parveen said San Diego will see warmer temperatures with the reappearance of Santa Ana winds with Wednesday hitting the low-70s and Friday reaching the mid-80s.
Additionally, NWS issued a marine weather statement Tuesday, warning of “patchy dense” fog over coastal waters that will last into Wednesday morning.
