Several counties in Southern California faced "critical" fire risks this week, according to an AccuWeather forecast.

How dry is it in Southern California? See the drought levels and recent rainfall totals for several counties in the region.

Soil moisture levels across much of the region from Santa Barbara to San Diego hover between just 2% and 5% of average — leaving dust where there should be mud.

NEWSWELL is leveraging the resources of America’s largest university to solve journalism’s biggest problems. Our sites in San Diego, Santa Barbara and Stockton will serve as real-time labs.

In 2021, Powell earned CIF San Diego Section Player of The Year honors while leading Torrey Pines to a 30-1 record. His older brother, Mikey, is an assistant coach at UC San Diego where he still holds the program record for career assists (502).

As wildfires continued to burn in Los Angeles, three fires broke out in San Diego County, prompting evacuation orders and warnings.

The blazes have grown to more than 37,000 acres, killing at least 25 people and destroying thousands of structures.

UC Santa Barbara’s location provides a refuge from wildfires. The university protrudes into the ocean, which limits the direction from which a fire can approach. And the campus is flanked to the north by the airport and surrounding wetlands, not a likely conduit for fire.

ORANGE, Calif. — The Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo (LOSSAN) Rail Corridor Agency is offering $10 fares on the Amtrak® Pacific Surfliner® train service for travel anywhere on the LOSSAN Rail Corridor to assist those impacted by the Southern California wildfires with low-cost travel throughout the region.

Here is a look at which wildfires are burning in San Diego County as of Jan. 21, 2025: Firefighters are responding Wednesday to a brush fire in Rancho Bernardo. The fire started around 8:55 a.m. near Bernardo Center Drive and Camino del Norte, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue, which was responding alongside Poway Fire.

Authorities urged residents to review evacuation plans, prepare emergency kits, and be on the lookout for fires and report them quickly.

Discover 14 hole-in-the-wall restaurants in California that serve outrageously delicious food worth every bite. Nestled in the heart of Merced, H & W Drive-In is a blast from the past that’s still rockin’ the present. This little blue and white wonder looks like it was plucked straight out of a 1950s postcard.