Red Flag Warning In Effect For Parts Of San Diego County

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – A red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service for parts of San Diego County went into effect Sunday, a day after two sizeable brush fires were sparked in the region.

The warning began 6 a.m. Sunday and will remain in effect through 6 p.m. Tuesday as gusty winds combine with hot, dry conditions to increase the risk of wildfires throughout the region and much of Southern California.

Sunday, winds of 15 to 25 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 45 miles per hour, were expected near coastal foothills and below mountain passes and canyons, according to the NWS.

Winds will strengthen later Sunday evening, and more powerful winds of 20 to 30 miles per hour, with gusts as high as 60 miles per hour, were expected to move in Monday and Tuesday, the NWS said.

Meanwhile, humidity was expected to drop to about 5 percent on Monday and Tuesday.

Highs in the low 100s were predicted for parts of East County and inland areas of North County on Monday and Tuesday.

The warning comes on the 10th anniversary of the October 2007 wildfires that wrought havoc on the San Diego region.

On Saturday, a fire south of the Golden Acorn Casino in rural Campo charred 100 acres of brush, and another fire that was apparently sparked by a downed plane blackened 20 acres before its progress was stopped.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Photo by Autumn Johnson/Patch