An uptick in Santa Ana winds Wednesday afternoon through Thursday, combined with critically dry vegetation and low humidity, will result in elevated to locally critical fire weather conditions in County through late Thursday.

Residents of San Diego County are facing evacuation orders Tuesday as the Lilac Fire and Pala Fire have broken out in the region, officials say.

Santa Ana winds finally delivered a big, direct hit on San Diego County Tuesday, gusting as high as 102 mph in the backcountry where a touch of long-overdue rain could arrive this weekend.

With the strongest of the winds in the inland valleys and mountains of San Diego County on Monday night through Tuesday morning, the highest wind gusts of 102 mph were recorded in Sill Hill, near Julian. This is a typical wind-prone area in the mountains known for exceptionally high wind gusts, offshore and onshore.

San Diego County expects rain and mountain snow after severe Santa Ana winds and wildfires across Southern California, marking a hopeful turn in a dry water year.

Wildfires in Southern California prompt evacuations and school closures as Santa Ana winds exacerbate conditions. Communities remain on high alert.- Watch Video on English Oneindia

The fire was reported around 2:20 p.m. Thursday in the Otay Mountains of San Diego's South Bay near the border.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires also continue burning in the Los Angeles area, leaving parts of Southern California with devastating fire damage.

Over 1,100 firefighters were “strategically pre-positioned” across Southern California to address "ongoing critical fire weather," Cal Fire said.

Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, remain active.

Forward progress of the Sepulveda Fire that erupted quickly overnight off the 405 freeway near Getty Center in Los Angeles was contained at 45 acres early Thursday morning. Evacuation orders for that one were lifted.