Weak Santa Ana winds were expected to mix with high temperatures Thursday, elevating the risk for wildfires in San Diego County.
The National Weather Service said critical fire weather is expected only in the foothills and only for a few hours.
At the same time, humidity levels were expected to drop and temperatures were expected to increase, creating the perfect combination for wildfires.
"It's going to be a quick-hitting Santa Ana on Thursday and noticeably warmer. Then dealing with real heat on Friday and Saturday, probably around 100 degrees in Ramona," said Alex Tardy, meteorologist for the National Weather Service.
No watches or warnings were in place and, according to the NWS' threat matrix, the risk for wildfires was minor but residents were still urged to use caution.
Poway resident Amy Rodriguez said she and her family are always uneasy during the months of September and October as she almost lost her house during the Cedar Fire in 2003.
"It makes me nervous because I've been through several of the big fires, my house is in a fire area, we've had to evacuate before because a fire went through our backyard," said Rodriguez.
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Tardy said on-and-off Santa Ana winds will be more common this fall leading to a drier winter compared to last year.
"We're expecting this pattern to prevail through the first part of the winter, which gives us the potential for a dry start to the winter and can lead to the potential of a lot of Santa Ana winds as we get into October and November," said Tardy.
