Santa Ana Winds Prompt Power Outages, School Closures In County

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — San Diego County remained under a red flag warning for extreme fire danger Thursday, as gusty Santa Ana winds and low humidity combined to raise the risk of wildfires in the region.

Fire weather conditions helped fuel a brush fire overnight in East County. The Willow Fire burned 30 acres, destroyed one home and damaged six others before crews stopped forward progress of the flames early Thursday morning in the Rancho San Diego area near El Cajon. As of 8 a.m., the Willow Fire was 50 percent contained.

Humidity levels dipping below 10 percent, sustained 30-plus mph winds and gusts of 60 mph or higher will create "extremely critical" combustion hazards Thursday in mountain communities into the early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. Affected highland areas include those east of Chula Vista, El Cajon, Escondido and Fallbrook.

The red flag warning is in effect until 10 p.m. Saturday for the county's inland valleys and mountains. The most intensive critical fire weather conditions were expected to last through Friday morning, meteorologists advised.

"Any fires that develop will likely spread rapidly," forecasters said. "Damaging winds could occur, capable of downing trees and power lines."

A high wind warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday for the county mountains and valleys, while a wind advisory is in effect until 4 p.m. Thursday for the coastal areas, according to the National Weather Service.

The dry and windy weather pattern is likely to continue into next week, though likely in a weakened manner, forecasters said.

Power Outages

San Diego Gas & Electric shut off power to 70,613 addresses in particularly at-risk inland communities due to combustion hazards posed by transmission equipment. By mid-afternoon Thursday, improving weather had allowed SDG&E to reduce that number to 65,601, though about 29,000 customers remained on notice for potential power-downs, the utility reported.

SDG&E opened community resource centers in the communities of Descanso, Lake Morena, Pine Valley, Julian, Fallbrook, Dulzura, Warner Springs, Potrero, Ramona and Valley Center. The centers will remain open until 10 p.m. and offer access to water, Wi-Fi, ice, snacks, phone and medical device charging, water trucks for livestock and up-to-date information on outages.

School Closures

Because of the precautionary power shutoffs, a number of schools were closed throughout the county.

Schools in the following districts were closed Thursday:

• Alpine Union
• Dehesa
• Valley Center-Pauma Unified
• Warner Unified

The following schools in the Lakeside Union School District were closed due to power outages:

• Eucalyptus Hills
• Lakeside Farms

The following schools in the Poway Unified School District were closed due to power outages:

• Abraxas High
• Garden Elementary
• Meadowbrook Middle
• Painted Rock Elementary
• Pomerado Elementary
• Poway High

The following schools in the Cajon Valley Union School District were closed due to power outages and road closures following the Willow Fire:

• Hillsdale Middle
• Jamacha Elementary
• Rancho San Diego Elementary
• Vista Grande Elementary

City News Service contributed to this report.