Amid an already dry winter season, the first Santa Ana wind event of 2025 is elevating fire danger this week and threatening power shut-offs for thousands of San Diego Gas & Electric customers. The electricity utility warned nearly 65,000 customers their power may be cut off anytime from 4 p.m. Tuesday to 4 p.m. Friday amid strong winds and low humidity that create the perfect weather conditions for wildfires to spark and spread rapidly, according to the National Weather Service. Santa Ana winds & low humidity arrive mid-week per the @NWSSanDiego Be prepared! Visit https://t.co/ifiKRm3XiT for the Ready, Set, Go! doc which has valuable info. Create an emergency plan & practice the plan with household members. Sign up for alerts – https://t.co/xtsVKsGWPR pic.twitter.com/CiSzbibHZj — SDFD (@SDFD) January 6, 2025 The Public Safety Power Shutoffs, as SDG&E calls them, are issued to prevent energized power lines from going down and sparking a wildfire. SDG&E says its decision to cut power to customers is made based on a combination of factors that include weather monitoring and on-the-ground observations. The National Weather Service on Monday issued a forthcoming Red Flag Warning for San Diego’s mountains and deserts from 4 a.m. Wednesday through 6 p.m. Thursday due to elevated fire weather conditions. During that time, wind gusts up to 55 mph are possible. Humidity will be between 10-20% with little recovery overnight. HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co. Areas not typically windy will be impacted. See graphic for areas of greatest concern. Stay indoors, away from windows, expect poweroutages. #LA pic.twitter.com/yl83LxeMEc — NWS Los Angeles (@NWSLosAngeles) January 6, 2025 This Santa Ana wind event is expected to be moderate but an extremely dry winter season was elevating fire risk, NBC 7 Meteorologist Brooke Martell said. Some of the strongest winds are forecasted in Oceanside, Ramona, El Cajon, Alpine, Campo, Mt. Laguna, Julian, Borrego Spring, and Ocotillo Wells. “As we know, Southern California is off to a very dry start to the water year (Oct. 1),” Martell said. “Santa Ana winds are very common during January, but what isn’t common is how dry it is.” Cal Fire said San Diego crews would be staffed higher than usual and crews from Northern California would be heading south to aid efforts in SoCal. The agency urged residents to do their part as well and provided the following reminders: One small spark can quickly become a large fire when it’s windy. When towing, ensure chains are not dragging. Avoid mowing or trimming dry grass on windy days. Do not park vehicles in dry grass. Ensure campfires are fully extinguished. Report suspicious activities promptly to prevent arson. Cal Fire also urged residents to create an evacuation plan for humans and pets, to have a go-bag ready and to remove flammable items from the home. Much of Southern California has entered the moderate drought category as we enter 2025. The U.S. Drought Monitor attributed the change to above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation. It’s estimated nearly 19 million Californians are in drought areas. 1 hour ago Are you fire-ready? Take these steps to prepare for a wildfire evacuation in California Wildfires Nov 19, 2024 San Diego County helps residents protect homes in wildfire-prone areas. Here's how to apply California Wildfires Sep 11, 2024 Map: See where fires are burning in Southern California