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Firefighters Prepping For Dangerous Santa Ana Winds Next Week

San Diego and California firefighting agencies are ramping up for next week’s Santa Ana winds. 260 extra fire engines from fire agencies in other parts of the state will be positioned around Southern

San Diego and California firefighting agencies are ramping up for next week’s Santa Ana winds. 260 extra fire engines from fire agencies in other parts of the state will be positioned around Southern California, almost 50 of them in San Diego. KPBS reporter Alison St John has more.

San Diego Fire Chief Tracey Jarman says she’s sending her firefighters home with all their protective gear this weekend so they are ready in case anything sparks up. She says the city’s helicopter, Copter One, will be up and flying to check any hot spots left over from the Rice and Witch creek fires.

But she says homeowners need to be getting ready, too.

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Jarman : This is a great weekend. If you haven’t thinned your brush get out here and trim your trees, clear everything away from your roof, clear out your gutters clear out under the deck. Whatever you can do to give us that defensible space.

The real threat starts next Tuesday with low humidity and high winds in the forecast. Cal Fire has assigned four helicopters to San Diego, and there’ll be seven state air tankers standing by, all with spotters ready to take off as soon as they’re needed.

Alison St John KPBS News.