Cal Fire is urging San Diego County residents, including those in Carlsbad, to stay prepared for wildfire risk as dangerous heat and Santa Ana wind conditions are forecast to continue into mid-October.
The agency issued a county-wide alert, as NBC 7 reported Monday, Oct. 5. The Climate Prediction Center has forecast an 80 to 90 percent chance of above-normal temperatures through mid-October, according to ABC 10News.
Santa Ana winds were forecast at 20 to 45 mph from the east and northeast, with higher gusts at exposed spots. Humidity was expected to drop to between 15 and 25 percent. Those conditions often overlap with Red Flag fire-weather periods, increasing the chance of fast-moving wildfires, according to the County of San Diego.
Forecast highs for the coast ranged from 85 to 102 degrees, with inland areas reaching 96 to 106 degrees.
Cal Fire Captain Josh Cormode, the agency's public information officer, told Fox 5 San Diego on Oct. 1 that preemptive power shutoffs are a worthwhile trade-off during fire weather. "The risk versus gain of being able to eliminate a factor or a way that a fire can be started with extreme temperatures and Santa Ana winds I think it's worth getting the power off if needed," Cormode said.
San Diego Gas & Electric acted on that approach. The utility conducted Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) from Friday, Oct. 2, through Monday, Oct. 5, notifying about 35,000 customers in advance, Fox 5 reported. The shutoff window has closed. Affected communities were inland and rural areas including Alpine, Descanso, Ramona, Julian, Fallbrook, Poway and Valley Center.
Carlsbad was not on the PSPS list.
SDG&E also warned that strong Santa Ana winds could cause unplanned outages separate from the planned shutoffs.
What Carlsbad residents should do
The County of San Diego urges residents to take these steps:
- Stay alert to fire-weather advisories
- Avoid activities that can spark fires
- Secure trailer chains
- Dispose of cigarettes safely
- Keep a household emergency go-kit ready
Fire-safety experts also recommend checking vehicles for loose tire tread or parts that could throw sparks, keeping a go bag and working flashlights on hand, and pruning trees and shrubs to create defensible space around the home, ABC 10News reported.
Residents can sign up for emergency alerts at AlertSanDiego.org, where they can register their phone number and receive notifications.
