Residents of rural communities in the southern part of San Diego County found themselves sandwiched between two fires Friday while winds continued to whip through town.
Liz Hernandez worker of the Dulzura Mini Market said the Santa Anas kept her family awake all night long.
“It was pretty rough,” she said. “I think most people like us were awake all night.”
Adding insult to injury, San Diego Gas and Electric cut off power to Dulzura and Potrero, which meant the Mini Market was running without power and on generators.
“We lose a lot of money,” said Hernandez.
But the opposite was true for Jim Pintor, a tree trimmer in Potrero and Dulzura.
“I gotta cut some dead trees down,” he said. “They’re a fire hazard.”
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He said he has been fairly busy this year, especially after the Santa Anas kicked into gear.
Pintor and Hernandez both said the Friday fires in Ramona and Valley Center were a stark reminder of what could happen in their own communities. Additionally, another wildfire was burning right across the border from Potrero in Mexico.
It’s the Santa Anas that keep them on edge and aware of what could happen.
“Windy. Really windy. Kept me up all night long,” said Pintor.
