Red Flag wildfire warning issued

SAN DIEGO -RIVERSIDE - A predicted spell of warm, windy and extremely dry conditions prompted the National Weather Service today to issue a ''red flag'' wildfire warning for San Diego and Riverside areas, effective Thursday morning through Friday evening.

Over the period, ''explosive fire-growth potential'' is likely to prevail in the inland valleys and eastern highlands due to sustained Santa Ana winds up to 30 mph and gusts reaching 50 mph, amid daytime humidity levels as low as 5 percent, the NWS advised.

The alert status is scheduled to go into effect at 9 a.m. Thursday and run until 5 p.m...