A wildfire in the hills near the U.S.-Mexico border exploded early Friday morning over thousands of acres, prompting evacuation orders throughout the Otay Wilderness Area and triggering school closures as well as likely power shutoffs for tens of thousands of people.

The blazes ignited in San Diego County early Tuesday, keeping Southern California on edge as dangerous fire conditions persisted.

With parts of Los Angeles County still smoldering from wildfires, the expected rain this weekend would seem like a welcome relief. But how the rain falls could make the difference between a disaster respite or a disaster repeat.

A brush fire that broke out near the UC San Diego campus was brought under control on January 23, the fire department said.Footage shows firefighters working to control the blaze after powerful Santa Ana winds swept across San Diego County.

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