San Diego Daily: Storm Cleanup, University Heights Fire, and Tết Festival Finale

Stormy week leaves San Diego cleaning up and watching the skies

San Diego is wrapping up a blustery stretch of winter weather that has brought rounds of heavy rain, gusty winds and high surf to the region. Forecasters say back-to-back Pacific systems have already drenched much of the county and left soil saturated, raising the risk of minor flooding, downed branches and tricky driving on local freeways.

Coastal and inland neighborhoods alike have seen periods of intense showers and strong wind, with crews responding to scattered reports of roadway flooding and fallen limbs. Residents are being urged to give themselves extra travel time, avoid driving through standing water and keep an eye on storm drains near homes and businesses.

Another disturbance may bring additional showers and breezy conditions, but the worst of this week’s powerful storm pattern appears to be passing. City staff continue monitoring trouble spots and reminding people to report significant flooding or mud and debris flows so crews can respond quickly.

Fire destroys long-vacant buildings in University Heights

Early Saturday morning, firefighters battled a stubborn blaze that tore through a cluster of vacant structures in University Heights, near the 4300 block of Georgia Street. The buildings had been boarded up and previously red-tagged because of safety concerns, and officials say they had a history of earlier fires.

Given the unstable condition of the buildings, crews took a defensive approach, concentrating on keeping flames from spreading to neighboring homes and apartments. Multiple engines, trucks and chiefs responded, surrounding the scene with hose lines and fighting much of the fire from outside.

No injuries were reported, but the already-compromised structures ultimately collapsed and are considered a total loss. Fire investigators are working to determine what sparked the latest blaze, while neighbors continue to voice concerns about repeated fires and possible trespassing at the site.

San Diego Tết Festival caps a big Lunar New Year weekend

San Diego’s Vietnamese community is closing out a major celebration today as the San Diego Tết Festival wraps up its final day at NTC Park in Liberty Station. The free three-day festival, now in its 21st year, moved from Mira Mesa to the waterfront this year, drawing large crowds for live performances, carnival rides and a bustling night market.

The move to Liberty Station gives the celebration more room to grow, with space for a main stage, cultural village, food vendors and family activities. Highlights this weekend have included lion and dragon dances, musical headliners, contests and the Miss Vietnam of San Diego pageant.

Organizers say the festival is meant to showcase Vietnamese culture while welcoming the broader community to ring in Lunar New Year together. With the Year of the Fire Horse just underway, visitors have been turning out for traditional foods, red envelopes, photo-ready decorations and a full slate of entertainment stretching from Friday evening through tonight.

Life sciences investment keeps San Diego on biotech map

In longer-term economic news, a recent groundbreaking by a major pharmaceutical company for a new biomedical research center in San Diego is bolstering the region’s reputation as a global life sciences hub. The planned campus, expected to open later this decade, will bring hundreds of high-skill jobs and expand local capacity for drug discovery, advanced therapies and AI-driven research.

Local officials are touting the project as further proof that San Diego’s mix of universities, startups and established firms continues to attract large-scale investment. Construction will unfold over the next several years, with the facility ultimately joining the region’s growing cluster of research institutes and biotech headquarters.

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