Thunderstorms bring fires, threat of floods

By: STACY BRANDT - Staff Writer | Saturday, July 23, 2005 10:56 PM PDT ∞

NORTH COUNTY ---- Thunderstorms continued to boom through the county Saturday, increasing the threat of flash floods and causing fires that burned about 150 acres.

The National Weather Service issued a flood watch and hazardous weather outlook through 8 p.m. Saturday, and warned of possible flash flooding caused by numerous thunderstorms over the county's mountains and desert areas. A chance of thunderstorms continues today and Monday.

Mountainous areas face great potential for flash flooding through tonight, according to the weather service. County desert areas will see moderate flood potential, it states. There will also be a threat of mudslides in fire-damaged areas.

Heavy rain fell in some parts of the desert early Saturday morning, including Borrego Springs, where the weather service's automatic sensors recorded 0.83 inch.

Santa Ysabel, at the intersection of Highways 79 and 78 near Julian, had recorded 0.94 inch of rain by 6:30 p.m. Saturday. Fallbrook had 0.28 inch, and Escondido and Valley Center both had 0.04 inch, while coastal communities saw only a trace. Sensors at the Ramona airport recorded 0.41 inch, a record there for July 23.

Around the county, lightning started about 15 blazes Friday and Saturday that burned about 150 acres, but caused no injuries or damage to homes, said Roxanne Provaznik, information officer for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

There were about 1,600 lightning strikes countywide between 5 p.m. Friday and 5 a.m. Saturday, she said. The strikes are monitored by sensors and a computer program that tracks where lightening hits and how often.

The department sent an airplane over areas with heavy lightning Saturday to look for more fires, Provaznik said.

Firefighters in Vista were busy Saturday morning dousing two blazes caused by lightning.

Lightning struck a palm tree at 1:30 a.m. on Kelleen Drive, and a power pole at about 3 a.m. near Vista Grande Road and Green Hills Way, said firefighter Les Fandel. Both were quickly extinguished, and neither threatened any homes.

"They just kept us up all night," Fandel said

Cleveland National Forest remained at a high fire danger Saturday. All campgrounds were open but with certain safety restrictions.

The California Independent System Operator, which distributes electricity throughout the state, extended a power watch through Monday. Because of increased use of air conditioners during the heat, the ISO is asking consumers to reduce electricity consumption, especially at peak hours in the late afternoon.

Updated weather and advisory information is available online at the National Weather Service's Web site, www.wrh.noaa.gov.

Contact Stacy Brandt at (760) 761-4414 or sbrandt@nctimes.com.