San Diego residents and firefighters remain on high alert as Santa Ana winds that could pose a potential fire danger picked up in the east and northeast parts of San Diego County Friday.
A National Weather Service-issued Red Flag warning was expected to remain in effect until 6 p.m. Friday with low humidity levels and gusty winds expected throughout the day.
In the Los Angeles area, a wind-driven brush fire that exploded in size to at least 4,600 acres damaged or destroyed homes and structures and prompted
the mandatory evacuation of all of Porter Ranch today, a community of around 30,000 people. It is zero percent contained this morning. The blaze was reported just after 9 p.m. Thursday off the westbound Foothill (210) Freeway near Yarnell Street and Saddle Ridge Road in Sylmar and quickly spread due to wind-blown embers that jumped the Golden State (5) Freeway about 11:20 p.m., sparking a fire that burned into Granada Hills and Porter Ranch, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The fire had burned 4,600 acres as of about 3 a.m. and was expected to spread into Ventura County, Los Angeles County Chief Deputy Dave Richardson said at an early morning news conference. Homes have been destroyed, but its not yet possible to say how many, LAFD Deputy Chief Al Poirier said.
In San Diego County, Cal Fire officials stressed the need for locals to take basic preventative steps, such as avoiding lawn-mowing during high winds; steering vehicles clear of extremely dry vegetation, where sparks might touch off a blaze; limiting campfires to designated places and looking out for suspicious behavior that could be arson-related.
The local threat level over the period was expected to be "moderate," according to the Santa Ana Wildfire Threat Index, meaning any wildland blazes that might erupt could be "difficult to control."
In response to the wildfire warning, San Diego Gas & Electric this week alerted about 30,000 of its customers that it may suspend their electrical service at times over the period to reduce combustion hazards posed by power lines.
Based on improved weather conditions, however, SDG&E lowered its forecast Thursday afternoon of how many customers could be affected by pre-emptive power-downs to roughly 18,000 homes and businesses -- 40% fewer than the original estimate.
SDG&E advised that it plans to provide updated notifications to customers within 24 hours of an anticipated power-down, and again within one to four hours of a shut-off, if possible.
.The utility advises those who have received the notification to be prepared by making sure they have such emergency supplies as water, food, flashlights, extra batteries and cellphone battery packs.
Should any precautionary power shut-off last more than 24 hours, the utility plans to open temporary aid centers where customers can get water and snacks, charge their cellphones and get updates.
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