Red Flag Warning
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Red Flag Warning Updates

10/14/2018

Red Flag Warning Update –  10:30 a.m., Oct. 16

As of 9:30 a.m., SDG&E field crews completed ground and air patrols of areas near North Descanso allowing us to restore power to the remaining 20 whose power was shut off for public safety reasons.

With the Red Flag Warning still in effect through 8 p.m. tonight, customers should remain prepared as high fire danger is still present.

SDG&E remains on high alert and encourages our customers do the same.

Red Flag Warning Update –  3 a.m., Oct. 16

As of 3 a.m., there are approximately 20 customers whose power was shut off for public safety reasons in the Sill Hill area near Descanso. As wind speeds subside and daylight arrives, crews will patrol the lines to ensure the system is safe before restoring power.

We recognize the inconvenience of being without power and appreciate your patience and understanding.

Red Flag Warning Update –  7 p.m., Oct. 15

Gusty Santa Ana winds are forecast to continue in wind-prone areas of the backcountry tonight through early tomorrow morning. The winds will be accompanied by low humidity and extreme fire conditions. The National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning that will remain in effect through 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

As of 6 p.m., power has been restored to all customers whose electricity was turned off for public safety reasons in the communities surrounding Palomar Mountain, including the La Jolla Indian Reservation. Customers should remain prepared while high winds are in the forecast. To keep communities safe, extreme weather conditions and high winds may require us to turn off the power for public safety.  

As a precaution, we have staged SDG&E crews and contract firefighters in the areas where the winds and fire danger are forecasted to be the highest. They will remain in the field until conditions improve.

Red Flag Warning Update: Stay Away from Downed Power Lines - 1:50 p.m., Oct. 15

Windy conditions, such as the Santa Ana winds forecasted to continue through tomorrow morning, increase the possibility of downed power lines.

Fallen electric lines are extremely dangerous. Report any downed lines to 911 and SDG&E immediately at 1-800-611-7343.  In an incident involving electric power lines, SDG&E offers the following guidelines.

If a person or piece of equipment comes in contact with an energized power line, or if a power line has fallen to the ground:

  • Stay clear of the line and do not touch it.
  • Call 911.  Ask for the police department, fire department rescue service or SDG&E.
  • Always assume that power lines are energized.  If a person has come into contact with a power line, don’t touch the person or any equipment involved. The line may be still energized and could be extremely dangerous.
  • Freeing a person or animal from energized power lines or equipment should only be attempted by a qualified electrical worker.

More safety tips are available here: https://www.sdge.com/safety/downed-powerline-safety.

Red Flag Warning Update –  Noon, Oct. 15

The strongest Santa Ana winds remain on track to reach our region’s mountains and foothills late tonight through early Tuesday morning. The weather forecast continues to show very low humidity and extreme fire danger, and the Red Flag Warning remains in effect through 8 p.m. Tuesday.

At around 10:30 a.m. this morning, we turned off power for public safety reasons for those located in the base of Palomar Mountain, including communities like the La Jolla Indian Reservation. You can get the latest information on planned and unplanned power outages here.

Notifications About Public Safety Power Shutoffs

Yesterday, approximately 4,700 customers in the mountains and foothills were notified of the potential for public safety shutoffs.

To receive notifications(email, text and calls) regarding public safety power shutoffs and other emergency  alerts, go to My Account and click on ‘Manage My Account’ and update your contact information, including email address. Sign up for outage notifications by following these steps:

Click on the ‘Alerts and Subscriptions’ tab

Select ‘Outage Notifications’ from the drop-down menu

From there, choose the way you want to stay informed (email, text and voice)

You can learn more about public safety power shutoffs here: https://www.sdge.com/wildfire-safety/public-safety-power-shutoffs.

Red Flag Warning Update - Sunday, Oct. 14

With the onset of Santa Ana winds and extremely low vegetation moisture forecasted for the next two days, the National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Red Flag Warning that will take effect at 3 a.m. Monday and last through 8 p.m. Tuesday.

In preparation for the extreme fire potential forecasted for our communities during the Red Flag Warning period, SDG&E has taken the following precautionary steps.

  • Activated plans to staff our Emergency Operations Center starting Monday.
  • Canceled non-essential electrical maintenance work in fire-prone areas.
  • Pre-staged resources, such as contract firefighters, and field personnel to troubleshoot and coordinate emergency response. Our aerial firefighting resources, including our helitanker, aka SkyMaverick, is ready to go if called upon by Cal Fire to douse flames.
  • Established plan to notify customers who live in high-wind, high fire  zones about the potential for public safety power shutoffs due to weather and fire conditions. Outbound dialer calls are scheduled to go out Sunday, Oct. 14, and updates will be provided to customers in follow-up calls, as more information becomes available.

Dangerous Fire Conditions Remain Despite Recent Rainfall

While the recent rainfall has dampened the grounds, the National Weather Service stated that “it will only act to briefly increase the moisture for the smaller and dead fuels (vegetations). As the dry Santa Ana winds pick up, the vegetation will quickly dry out again, resulting in critical fire weather conditions.”

Our meteorologists forecast that Santa Ana winds will begin developing late tonight into early tomorrow morning with gusts in the windiest areas of the mountains and foothills possibly reaching 40-45 miles per hour (mph) by 5 a.m. Monday. The strongest Santa Ana winds are expected to arrive late Monday night into early Tuesday morning. Mountains and foothills will see widespread gusts in the range of 40 mph with some locations seeing 50 plus miles per hour. In isolated pockets of East County, such as Sill Hill, wind speed could reach 80 mph.

In many areas, humidity is expected to be in single digits. Maximum temperatures are expected to be in the mid-80s to low 90s for the duration of the Red Flag Warning.

What You Can Do to Protect Yourself and Your Family

SDG&E has developed a dedicated webpage, sdge.com/wildfire-safety, to help our communities get prepared for wildfires and other emergencies. On this web page, you can learn more about public safety power shutoffs, as well as resources that we have put into place to help our communities.