SAN DIEGO — The mini heat wave is coming to an end around San Diego County. Temperatures reached the high 90s inland on Friday - even hitting triple digits in some areas.
While some enjoyed the hot weather, others were not big fans and firefighters worried it might be the perfect storm for wildfires.
"The wind itself necessarily won’t cause a fire, what it does is it dries out the vegetation, dry out the brush and that can create a poor receptive fuel bed," said Cal Fire Captain Neil Czapinski.
Czapinski also said that although we have year-round fire danger, fire season doesn’t officially start until next month.
However, there is one thing that has helped keep fires at bay.
"Some of the early rainfall we had early in the year has helped, if you look around the county, you’ll notice some green grass growing which is a good sign,” said Czapinski. “Good indicator of quite a bit of moisture in that,”
But with the heat wave we experienced and winds, Czapinski said people need to be extremely cautious and practice safety.
"What we want the public to do is make sure you check your vehicle before you take off, check your brakes, if you’re towing a trailer make sure you're not dragging a chain or cable that could potentially start a fire," said Czapinski.
Czapinski also recommended if you go on any type of hike or activity outside be prepared with a fully charged phone, water, snacks, and a medical kit to make sure you don’t suffer from heat exhaustion.
Weather conditions are expected to return to near normal by the weekend with the return of the onshore flow.
Here is some resource information for the next time our temperatures rise:
Heat Preparedness
Hot temperatures may cause heat-related illness in some people.
The county operates the Cool Zones program and has designated more than 100 air-conditioned buildings as cooling centers. Locations and hours of operation can be found on a new interactive map on CoolZones.org, by calling 2- 1-1 San Diego or by calling 1-800-510-2020, ext. 6 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The sites are identified by a light blue Polar Bear Cool Zone logo.
The National Weather Service recommends drinking plenty of fluids, stay in air-conditioned areas and out of the sun, and check on relatives and neighbors. Pets and young children should not be left in unattended vehicles.
Schedule strenuous outdoor activities to early morning or evening and know the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear lightweight clothing when outdoors.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments.
Cool Zones
The City of San Diego has a list of Cool Zones around the city where you can find relief from the heat. Click here for a list.
Another option for people is to cool off at a City of San Diego pool. Find the locations and hours here.
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