SAN DIEGO (KGTV) -- Firefighters made quick work of two small brush fires in San Diego County Saturday as they braced for an extended stretch of extreme heat and dry conditions next week.
Both fires were sparked accidentally by people using equipment outdoors, prompting fire officials to urge caution over the coming days.
“We really need the public's help for this event next week,” said Cal Fire San Diego Capt. Thomas Shoots.
Around 3 pm, sparks from a metal grinder started a fire near Deerhorn Valley Road and White Wing Road near Dulzura, Shoots said. Crews responded quickly and were able to keep the fire to a quarter acre, he said.
Minutes later in El Cajon, someone using a weed whacker sparked a fire in the 1600 block of Lotus Lane. That fire began at 3:20 pm, according to San Miguel Fire, but it was largely extinguished by residents with a fire extinguisher before crews arrived. That fire was contained to a 20 foot by 20 foot area.
Cal Fire has a list of best practices to avoid equipment fires here.
ABC 10News Meteorologist Leah Pezzetti reports there will be exceptionally hot conditions in the coming week, with temperature in the deserts as hot as 120 degrees mid-week.
An Excessive Heat Warning for San Diego deserts begins Monday at 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. on Friday.
Inland valleys and mountains will also be under an Excessive Heat Watch starting Tuesday at 10 a.m. and also ending at 9 p.m. Friday.
Windy conditions paired with these hot and dry conditions will contribute to an increased risk for fires this upcoming week, she said.
Cal Fire implemented peak staffing last week.
“Every part of the state is in some level of drought, so when you have these weather conditions like what we have coming up next week, it is a concern for us,” Capt. Shoots said.
