Firefighters continue to work on containment lines for the Valley Fire in which 17,565 acres have burned. (courtesy of CalFire San Diego)
Red Flag Warning cancelled early
(Sept. 9) The Red Flag Warning issued by the National Weather Service for San Diego County was cancelled ahead of schedule today as high winds expected Tuesday night, Sept. 8, to Wednesday, Sept. 9, did not blow to the high extent that forecasters expected. The Red Flag Warning was originally in effect until 8 p.m. tonight.
The slower winds, combined with an unexpected cloud cover blanketing most of San Diego County, were a welcome event as firefighters continued to battle the monstrous Valley Fire south of Alpine. Yesterday’s humidity served to dampen fire burning conditions, allowing firefighters time to build fire lines and attempt to surround the Valley Fire. Diminished winds at night meant the fire did not flare much or cross fire lines to the west as expected. As a result, firefighters are beginning to contain the fire within its perimeter and contain it to the 17,565 acres already scorched.
In addition, no additional major brush fires ignited in the last 24 hours within the county.
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring or will occur shortly. A combination of wind, low relative humidity and heat can contribute to extreme fire behavior. Dry conditions with low daytime humidities of 15 to 20 percent will persist through Thursday. Offshore winds will affect foothill locations again tonight, but will be relatively weak.
