Cal Fire Adds More Resources; Fires Flare Up Under Critical Conditions

One extra air tanker was added at Ramona Airport for the critical fire conditions that exist throughout San Diego county today, Cal Fire reported.

"We've already had one fire in Valley Center this morning but our crews had it under control in 30 minutes," Cal Fire spokesman Michael Mohler told Ramona Patch. "It only got up to about an acre but it had the potential to go really big. The fire was in the Rincon area, near Harrah's Casino. We've got extra staffing and extra bulldozers situated around the county today."

Mohler said winds up to 40 mph have been observed in the county so far.

The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued a for most of San Diego county until 6 p.m. Wednesday, due to expected high winds and low humidity. This means "critical fire conditions" and "explosive fire growth potential" exist, according to the weather service.

A 12-acre fire that erupted west of Rancho Bernardo on Wednesday was thought to be arson, Cal Fire reported in this story on Rancho Bernardo Patch.

In the event of an emergency, Ramona Patch reminds residents that

However, a CalTrans spokesman, Edward Cartagena, told Ramona Patch Wednesday that, in the event of an emergency, Highway 78 could be cleared fairly quickly because the work is not being done on the actual road itself, but on a slope. The city of Poway could also open Poway Grade, said spokesman Pat Ryan.