Hundreds of firefighters and law enforcement personnel are training in the Barona area this week as East County prepares for the hot, dry conditions that can turn small fires into regional emergencies.

The San Diego County Multi-Agency Wildland Preparedness Exercise began Wednesday and runs through Friday, according to East County Magazine. The exercise is coordinated by the San Diego County Fire Chiefs, Barona Fire Department and the Barona Band of Mission Indians.

The training is centered at Barona Fire Station 27 in Lakeside and is expected to include about 750 first responders from across the county. Crews are rotating through drills focused on emergency communications, firefighter survival, structure defense and rapid hose deployments under simulated wildland fire conditions.

Residents using Wildcat Canyon Road should expect significant traffic delays through Friday as fire engines and law enforcement vehicles move between drill sites, East County Magazine reported.

For Santee and other East County communities near canyons and open space, the drill is a reminder that wildfire preparation starts before smoke is visible. The exercise also underscores the importance of defensible space, brush clearance and agency coordination before peak fire season arrives.