Where There Is Smoke; Firefighters Remain On High Alert In OC

DANA POINT, CA — Orange County Fire Authority firefighters were taking no chances Wednesday, when a column of smoke was reported in Dana Point.

Firefighters rushed to the area of Sea Island Drive and Tasmania Circle at approximately 12:30 p.m. with lights and sirens, according to OCFA Capt. Paul Holaday.

Better safe than sorry, he says. This is situation normal with low humidity and high temperatures.

A red flag fire warning was released by the National Weather Service for the remainder of the week.

Northeast winds will blow from 25 to 35 miles per hour, and gusts were expected of up to 55 miles per hour, the NWS reported.

Winds will begin Wednesday and be strongest late Thursday into Friday. Low humidity in the single digits will persist.

According to the NWS, conditions are favorable for extreme fire behavior with rapid growth, which could threaten life and property.

That is something that the OCFA has upstaffed and prepared for.

"With the fire weather, we went ahead and sent a whole crew out there to investigate the situation," Holaday told Patch. "It could be a fire, or it could be someone's barbecue. Either way, if someone thinks they see smoke, we will always check it out."