High Wildfire Risk: Red Flag Fire Warning and Santa Ana Winds

Also read: Increased Risk of Wildfire Prompts CalFire to Add Fire Crews

Wind gusts up to 75 miles per hour will buffet the inland valleys and mountains of San Diego County Tuesday, meteorologists said.

In addition to the strong Santa Ana winds, warm and dry conditions have heightened the chance of wildfire in the county, according to the National Weather Service.

A red flag warning issued by the agency on Monday remains in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday. A red flag warning is the weather service's most serious fire-related warning.

The inland valleys and mountains will also see sustained winds of 25 to 35 mph out of the northeast and a low daytime humidity of around 5 percent today, an NWS advisory said.

The agency also issued a high wind warning for the valleys and mountains until noon Wednesday. A high wind warning is issued when hazardous winds capable of causing property damage are occurring or expected.

"The winds will make driving difficult, especially for motorists with high profile vehicles," an NWS advisory said. "Watch for broken tree limbs and debris on roadways."

Neither warning extended to coastal areas or the county's deserts.

-City News Service