SAN DIEGO — Due to milder than forecast Santa Ana wind conditions, San Diego Gas & Electric announced Monday that they do not currently anticipate having to turn off power for safety to over 1,000 customers that were warned of potential shutoffs.
Meanwhile, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is responding to the Santa Ana wind event with increased staffing and the County of San Diego is hoping to prepare high-risk fire areas throughout fire season by mailing Personal Disaster Plans.
The National Weather Service on Sunday predicted a week of hot, dry conditions across San Diego County. Offshore winds from the northeast were expected to strengthen Sunday afternoon and humidity lowered, resulting in elevated fire weather conditions, weather officials reported.
A second round of Santa Ana winds is expected to begin Thursday.
"Current guidance suggests this event has the potential to be stronger than the Sunday- Tuesday event,'' the weather service said. "Critical fire weather conditions will be possible."
Due to the increased wind and fire threat, SDFD has planned to beef up staff at least through Monday.
SDG&E’s Public Safety Power Shutoff page includes the following message and map:
"Forecasted weather conditions could affect the power lines that serve local communities. We are actively monitoring the potential for adverse weather conditions. These conditions may require us to turn off the power for public safety. If we do turn off power, it will stay off until we can safely restore it."
For up-to-date information on power outages, visit sdge.com/outage.
The designated at-risk communities according to SDG&E include:
- Boulder Creek
- Boulevard
- Cameron
- Crestwood
- La Posta
- Valley Center East
- Viejas
In a little over the past week, at least a half dozen brush fires have broken out in the San Diego area. Four of them occurred in one day in less than three hours.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department is also preparing for the Santa Ana wind event, increasing staff Monday between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. While increased staffing will take place in 12-hour shifts on Sunday and Monday, the agency said it will continue to monitor weather conditions and will expand or decrease staffing as needed to handle a fire incident or weather conditions.
Last week, the County of San Diego announced it will be mailing a Personal Disaster Plan to residents living in high-risk fire areas across the region. On Friday, county officials advised residents to be on the lookout for an updated 16-page plan which serves as a template and guide for emergency planning for homes and businesses.
RELATED: San Diego County to mail disaster plan template to residents, businesses in highest fire risk zones
Nearly 200,000 homes and businesses in areas designated as high fire hazard severity zones will receive the guides in the mail starting the week of Oct. 28. English and Spanish-language Personal Disaster Plans will be printed and available at the San Diego County Library’s 33 branch locations in November.