Brush Fires Flare During Record High

Friday was a day of fire and ice in San Diego.

While firefighters struggled to contain a 75-acre blaze near Lake Hodges, thousands of people swarmed to the beach, dipping their toes in the chilly springtime water.

Sizzling inland temperatures contributed to a brush fire that burned about 100 acres of chaparral on Bernardo Mountain, along the northern shoreline of Lake Hodges and a mile west of Interstate 5. Capt. Ron Cervantes of the San Diego Fire Department said the fire, which started shortly after noon, was caused by sparks flying from a chain saw that was being used by a landowner to clear brush and light timber from his property.

Though the flames came within a quarter mile of a cluster of homes off Via Loma Vista in southwestern Escondido, the fire was contained by mid-afternoon and no structures were damaged. The only reported injury was to San Diego firefighter Bill Buck, who was airlifted by Life Flight to Pomerado Hospital, suffering from a severe headache. He was under observation at the hospital and listed in stable condition Friday night, said a hospital spokeswoman.

Downtown, temperatures at Lindbergh Field hit a record 89 degrees Friday, eclipsing the previous record of 86 degrees set in March, 1947, said National Weather Service spokesman Ray Robben. Several areas vied for the hot spot of the county: Spring Valley, Lemon Grove, the Miramar Naval Air Station and the San Diego Wild Animal Park in the San Pasqual Valley all reported a high temperature of 97, Robben said.

Between 40,000 and 50,000 people took advantage of the summer-like weather and flocked to the beaches, where they basked in balmy temperatures in the high 70s. Some swimmers ventured into the chilly 60-degree water, necessitating 22 routine rescues, said Lifeguard Barry Gamboa. No drownings were reported, Gamboa said.

Elsewhere in the county, high temperatures led to low water pressure, prompting the city to ask residents of La Jolla, the Golden Triangle, Kearny Mesa, Tierrasanta and Clairemont to curtail their water usage. Assistant City Manager John P. Fowler requested that landscape irrigation in those areas be kept to an absolute minimum during the heat wave, to compensate for problems occurring because of a previous break in a water main.

In January, a pipe providing water to the affected areas was damaged, and water has been diverted from other areas to serve those residents for the past two months, said city Public Information Officer Judith Berger. Repairs are under way, but are not expected to be completed until mid-April, Berger said.

“Everything has been fine until (Friday)” Berger said. “People have been watering their lawns, washing vehicles, hosing down patios and sidewalks. . . . The abnormally high water usage has caused some water supply problems.”

Temperatures today will be a little cooler than Friday, and should continue dropping as the weekend continues, the National Weather Service has predicted. The Santa Ana winds should fizzle out by Sunday, and the usual morning low clouds and fog are expected to return to the coast.