Cal Fire says it has moved into peak staffing as hotter weather and dry brush raise wildfire concerns across San Diego County, according to NBC 7 San Diego. The agency said the hottest weather is expected Thursday, with inland areas forecast to reach the upper 80s to low 90s and mountain communities reaching triple digits.

Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette told NBC 7 that county brush is near a critical level and "ripe to burn." He said the entire county is under risk as vegetation continues to dry out during the summer heat.

The agency said it is using AlertCalifornia, a UC San Diego-operated camera network that combines live cameras and artificial intelligence to detect possible smoke. Cornette said the system has already helped spot fires in San Diego County before a 911 call came in.

Cal Fire said it has nearly 1,000 firefighters, dispatchers and support personnel ready across 42 stations. Crews are also monitoring temperature, humidity, wind and fuel moisture throughout the day.

For Santee and East County residents, the message is practical: avoid creating sparks near dry grass, do defensible-space work during cooler morning hours and use extra caution when hiking or working around open space. Cornette told NBC 7 that about 95% of wildland fires are human-caused, including sparks from equipment such as lawn mowers, grinders and welders.