Using cutting-edge DNA technology, investigators have identified a man suspected of brutally killing a Carlsbad woman in her home on Valentine’s Day 2007 in a chilling case gone cold. 

The Carlsbad Police Department and the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office announced Tuesday that David Mabrito, 38, is suspected in the slaying of Jodine Serrin, 39, on Feb. 14, 2007.

Police said Mabrito was linked to the murder via the recent advancement of DNA matching technology and genealogical experts. Mabrito, who was a transient, died from suicide in 2011. He was 38 years old at the time Serrin was killed.

On Valentine's Day 2017 -- 10 years after Serrin's murder -- investigators released details on a website dedicated to the cold case, as well as new information on the suspect compiled based on the first use of new forensic technology in San Diego County.

This past February, investigators with the Carlsbad Police Department and San Diego County District Attorney’s Office said they had been using the services of Virginia-based DNA tech company, Parabon NanoLabs.

The company specializes in something called DNA “phenotyping,” which is the process of using unidentified DNA evidence left behind at a crime scene to predict someone’s physical appearance and ancestry.

Its “Snapshot” DNA Phenotyping Service – which was built with funding from the U.S. Department of Defense – is used by law enforcement to generate leads in criminal investigations, narrow suspect lists and identify unknown remains.

In Serrin's case, Snapshot was used to produce a portrait of a person of interest and what he may have looked like in 2007. The predictions spanned everything from the man’s face shape, hair and eye color to his possible ancestry. 

At that time, police said that based on those predictions, the man involved in Serrin's case might have had green or blue eyes, dark blond or light brown hair, and some freckles on his face. A composite portrait was publicly released and law enforcement officials announced a reward of $52,000 for information leading to an arrest in the cold case.

On Tuesday, the Carlsbad Police Department thanked Parabon NanoLabs among a long list of people and agencies that have aided in the 11-year investigation, as well as the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office Crime Lab and the FBI.

“We are thankful to provide a resolution of this case to Jodine’s family,” Carlsbad Police Chief Neil Gallucci said in a press release. “We never forgot Jodine and we are grateful to have identified the person responsible for her tragic murder.”

The police department said Serrin's family wanted to release this statement to the media:

“Jodine taught us all with her special challenges, perseverance and love of nature. There was joy in her laughter, love in her heart and faith in her soul. The Serrin family is forever grateful to the Carlsbad Police Department for their outstanding efforts in attaining justice through resolution of this tragic case.”

The Crime

Serrin was a mentally challenged but highly functioning woman who lived on her own in a ground-level condo on Swallow Lane in Carlsbad.

Serrin’s parents, Arthur and Lois Serrin, checked in on her frequently. On Feb. 14, 2007, after being unable to reach her by phone, Serrin’s parents went to her condo to make sure she was alright.

It was about 10 p.m. Serrin didn’t answer the door.

Her parents opened the front door with their key and went inside. Serrin’s father walked into his daughter’s bedroom to find a man engaged in sexual activity with his daughter. Fearing he had walked into an awkward situation, Arthur Serrin went back out into the living room to give the two some privacy.

He told the man to get dressed and get out. He and Lois Serrin waited for the duo to exit the bedroom, but they never did.

When Arthur Serrin entered the room again, he discovered his daughter had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled to death.

The man who had been in her bedroom with her was gone.

According to investigators, the suspect may have escaped through an open front door that wasn’t visible from where the victim’s parents were standing in the living room. There were no signs of forced entry at Serrin’s condo, so her killer may have been someone she knew. He may have known she lived alone.

Investigators did not identify anyone other than Mabrito as being involved in Serrin's murder.

In the past, Serrin’s loved ones have remembered her as a woman with a gentle heart who loved helping others. She volunteered at her church and at the San Diego Humane Society and was active in the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, among many local organizations. She loved animals and was skilled in floral design, and also enjoyed biking, kayaking and walking on the beach.

TGI Weekend! With ice rinks, winter villages, winter shopping and more, arriving in this weekend, it's beginning to feel a bit like the holidays in San Diego County. If you're still in the summer mood, though, we've got you covered. For you there are your typically San Diego movie nights, beer tastings and wine festivals. Get up. Get out. Play!

Thursday, November 15
Viejas Outlet Center Ice Rink 
Times vary, Viejas Casino and Resort
Bring on the winter cheer! Viejas Casino & Resort has decked the halls and opened their outdoor ice rink for the holiday season. Guests can take a spin on one of Southern California’s largest outdoor skating rinks for 90 minutes with the purchase of a $16 for adults and $14 ticket for kids 12 and under. Season passes are available for those who want to enjoy the rink time and time again. The ice rink is open from 3 to 10 p.m. on the weekends and 5 to 10 p.m. during the week through November but hours vary on Thanksgiving. Check the schedule here before you go. 

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Movie Nights: ‘Spaceballs’ 
6:30 p.m., Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens
Grab a blanket and cuddle up for a movie at Stone Brewing’s sprawling Escondido garden. Each Thursday this November, Stone has selected a different throwback comedy film for your enjoyment. Guests can bring chairs, pillows or blankets and grab a spot on the Escondido location’s top deck to watch these classic films, like this week’s pick, Mel Brooks’ parody “Spaceballs.” While there, grab a pint of Stone’s famous IPAs or a glass of Modern Times Beer, who will be hosting a mini-tap takeover alongside the show. The screening is free but space is limited on a first come, first serve basis.

Culture & Cocktails: Reflect 
7 p.m., San Diego Museum of Art
The Museum of Art’s seasonal Culture & Cocktails event brings together the biggest art enthusiasts to enjoy the museum’s latest exhibits. Join them this month for a private viewing of the new Tim Shaw: Beyond Reason exhibit. With the purchase of a $50 ticket, guests will enjoy three innovative cocktails and delicious dishes, including a cotton candy booth for your sweet tooth, while exploring the exhibit. The Tim Shaw: Beyond Reason exhibit runs through Feb. 24, 2019.  

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San Diego Asian Film Festival Opening Night 
7 p.m., San Diego Natural History Museum
Films created by Asian artists will be on full display during this year’s San Diego Asian Film Festival. The 10-day festival returned last week for its 19th year to present an array of films centered around Asian experiences and culture. Dozens of films will screen at various locations, the majority at UltraStar Cinemas Mission Valley, through Nov. 17 starting at $12. Multi-day ticket options are available. Click here to see the full film schedule and here for other San Diego Asian Film Festival events. 

Seany Movie Night ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’
7 p.m., UltraStar Mission Valley
Enjoy a spell-tacular time at the movies this Thursday in support of a good cause. The Seany Foundation is hosting an early screening of “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” and the proceeds will go to their charity, which funds projects and programs for kids, teens and young adults with cancer. A $40 ticket to Seany Movie Night comes with an admission ticket to the film screening at UltraStar theater in Mission Valley (7510 Hazard Center Drive), a bucket of popcorn and any candy or beverage you choose. For $25 more, upgrade your seat and kick off your night in an exclusive lounge and bar. The movie starts at 7 p.m. but there will be plenty for movie-goers to do ahead of the screening so arrive up to an hour early.

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Friday, November 16

Escape the Nat
12 to 5 p.m. (Tuesday through Sunday), San Diego Natural History Museum
The Natural History Museum in Balboa Park needs your help to find the cure to a deadly viral outbreak. This escape room game on the lower level of the museum asks guests to comb through the museum archives and solve a combination of clues and puzzles in order to save the world. Groups of two to six players can join the game, and ticket prices vary depending on the number of people participating, starting at $80. The ticket price includes admission to the museum. Guests must make reservations in advance for a slotted time Tuesday through Friday from 12 to 5 p.m.

Del Mar Fall Racing Festival
12:30 to 5 p.m., Del Mar Thoroughbred Club
And they’re off! For the second time this year, the Del Mar Thoroughbred Club is opening its racetracks. Del Mar Fall Racing season kicks off at 11:30 a.m. on Friday and will, on most days, have a first post time of 12:30 p.m. during its four-week run through Dec. 2. Admission to the seaside tracks start at $6.  This season, the tracks are hosting plenty of special events to coincide with the races, like an Uncorked Derby Days Wine Fest on Nov. 17, a Craft Beer Fest on Dec. 1 and much more. The reggae band Pepper will hold a post-race concert to ticket holders who enter before the last race starts. Non-race attendees can purchase a ticket separately for $30.

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Salsa Under the Stars 
6 p.m. to 9 p.m., The Headquarters at Seaport
Hit the courtyard at The Headquarters at Seaport for this Friday night salsa dancing session under the stars. Manny Cepeda and his orchestra will provide the toe-tapping tunes; no partner or experience necessary to join this fun, free event. 

Balloon Glow Concert & Swing Dance 
7 p.m., The Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa
https://groovesatthewestin.com/
About a dozen hot air balloons will take to the sky above the Westin Mission Hills Golf Resort & Spa as guests down below swing the night away to the jazzy sounds of The Big Bad Voodoo Daddy. The Balloon Glow Concert and Swing Dance, part of the Grooves at Westin concert series, kicks off with a dance lesson at 7 p.m. At the same time, hot air balloons will make their first ascent, offering rides to guests on site. Proceeds from each $40 general admission ticket benefit the American Heart Association. There will be food and drinks available for purchase.

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The Secret Society of Adultologists 
7 p.m., San Diego Natural History Museum
Shine bright like a diamond at this after-hours event in celebration of the Nat’s newest exhibit, Hidden Gems. The Secret Society of Adultologists invites guests 21-and-up to partake in a variety of hands-on activities, like fossil prep in the Paleontology Lab and a birthstone matching game, all while sipping on cocktails and enjoying live music throughout the museum. Guests with a $15 ticket to this special event should dress in their shiniest, most gemstone-like attire. The Secret Society of Adultologists hosts several similar events throughout the year, all meant to recall the feeling of your first trip to a museum.

Dr. Seuss's 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas!'
7 p.m., The Old Globe
The Grinch can't stop Christmas from coming this year but he can bring his shenanigans to The Old Globe once again for the 21st year of "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!" The classic musical will delight guests through the holiday season with classic songs like, "You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch," and "Welcome, Christmas (Fah Who Doraze)." See the show on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage with a ticket starting at $54. Times vary by date so be sure to check the calendar.

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Saturday, November 17

Yoga in the City 
9 a.m., 1 Columbia Place
Stretch it out with an hour of free yoga courtesy of the Downtown San Diego Partnership. Grab a mat and head to 1 Columbia Place (401 W. A St.) for this teacher-led yoga sesh, which recurs every Saturday at various locations. All ages and levels are invited.

Holidays at Legoland 
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Legoland California
The Legoland California Resort gets a dusting of holiday magic from Nov. 17 to Dec. 31 this year. The theme park will be decked out in festive decor, including a 30-foot Lego brick Christmas tree equipped with twinking Lego ornaments. Each night during the park’s holiday season, the tree will come to life with music and light. Guests will be able to meet their favorite Lego characters in seasonal attire, plus Santa Claus himself, and enjoy live entertainment throughout the park, including a new-this-year holiday light show. The park will also be dishing out exclusive seasonal treats, like peppermint shakes and Nutella and peppermint crepes, to name a few. Guests with a regular admission ticket to Legoland, which start at $75 for ages three and up, will be treated to the holiday layover.

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Star of India Companion Sail
9 a.m. (Saturday and Sunday), Maritime Museum of San Diego
The famous 1863 tall ship will set sail for the first time in five years to commemorate the Maritime Museum of San Diego's 155 years. The Star of India is a the world’s oldest active sailing ship. Guests have the opportunity to join The Star of India aboard one of three legendary sailing vessels, who will travel alongside her as she voyages through San Diego Bay and out off the coast of Point Loma. Sailors can choose between tall ships Californian, San Salvador or America. Tickets cost $250 and include a catered breakfast and lunch, plus drinks and celebratory champagne. Check-in is at 9 a.m. at the Maritime Museum of San Diego (1492 North Harbor Drive) and the sail is expected to last until 5 p.m.

SoCal Etsy Guild Market
10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Horton Plaza Park
You know you love to shop Etsy, the online craft market. Well, here’s your chance to meet the local artists behind the products you see online while shopping their artisan products in person, at the one day only at the SoCal Etsy Guild Market. Booths will be set up at the Amphitheater of Horton Plaza Park downtown and music will accompany as you browse handmade goods from local artists.

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San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival: Grand Tasting
11 to 3 p.m., Embarcadero Marina Park North
The Grand Tasting at the Embarcadero is the culmination of a weeks worth of food- and wine-themed events across San Diego. Guests attending the Grand Tasting will be treated to bites from more than 60 celebrity chefs and pours of hundreds of local and international wines, craft beers and spirits. General admission tickets cost $145 and give guests three hours of tasting. VIP tickets and group packages are also available. The event is part of this year’s annual San Diego Bay Wine & Food Festival, which runs through Sunday with dozens of indulgent experiences for foodies and winos, like celebrity chef dinners, cooking classes and wine tasting experiences.

Cans & Jams 
2 to 5 p.m., Searsucker (Downtown)
Searsucker in the Gaslamp Quarter features a different local brewery on the third Saturday of each month for Cans and Jams. This week, the restaurant has invited Mission Brewery to delight guests in sips of their suds at $6 a can. There will also be special happy hour grub available, like fish tacos for $7 and spicy tuna poke for $10. Searsucker also partners with a different charity each month; $1 of each can sold during the event will be donated to the Seany Foundation to aid kids and young adults battling cancer.

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Sunday, November 18

Encinitas Holiday Street Fair
9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Coast Highway 101 (Encinitas)\
One of North County’s largest free street fairs returns this weekend to bring some holiday cheer to the coastal city of Encinitas. The Encinitas Holiday Street Fair will span six blocks and feature more than 450 booths filled with local and brand-name vendors, making it the perfect stop for some early holiday shopping. The event features five live music stages and a beer garden with suds from Stone Brewing Company and other hop-crafters for those 21 and up. A kids zone will offer activities geared towards little ones and a brand new dog park to entertain furry children. 

It's Electric
10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Fleet Science Center
Explore the nature of electricity through several interactive exhibits at the Fleet Science Center. The museum’s newest exhibit, It’s Electric, uses 16 fun activities to teach about fundamental properties, like magnetic fields and batteries. The exhibit is free with the purchase of a general admission ticket, which is $22 for adults and $19 for kids up to 12.

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Nason's Doggy Draft 
11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Nason’s Beer Hall
It’s time for the annual draft. No, not the football draft, the pet adoption draft. It is all part of a partnership between Nason’s Beer Hall and the San Diego Humane Society. Not looking to adopt just yet? No problem! Stop by for a pint and enjoy the cuteness while you’re there. You can make a reservation here in advance. 

Mother Goose Parade 
1 p.m., El Cajon Boulevard and W. Main Street
Mother Goose is ready to usher in the holiday season in El Cajon. The annual parade marches down Main Street, from El Cajon Boulevard to First Street, with an array of whimsical balloons, from Humpty Dumpty to turkeys, and of course Mother Goose herself. You may even spot the NBC 7 and Telemund0 20 team in the parade. Guests can bring folding chairs or blankets to line the block for this free parade, which features about 100 floats, several celebrity guests, local leaders and more. This year’s grand marshal is Tom Rice, a World War II paratrooper veteran who now teaches high schoolers in Chula Vista.

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98° at Christmas 
7:30 p.m., Balboa Theatre
This 90s boy band is heating up the holiday season. 98° stops by the Balboa Theatre to perform some of their chart-topping hits -- possibly “Thank God I Found You” or “True to Your Heart” -- as well as some holiday favorites from their Christmas album, "Let it Snow." The hardest thing you’ll ever have to do is deciding where to sit. Tickets start at $50.

Free or Cheap Things to Do in San Diego
Times and locations vary
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Looking to save some cash, but still enjoy the city? In San Diego, there are still plenty of activities to enjoy for free or on the cheap. Go for a hike at Torrey Pines State Park or Cowles Mountain, stroll Balboa Park, try a new craft brewery, admire the murals of Chicano Park or read a book at a downtown park. Get out there and explore America’s Finest City.

A column of smoke was visible above Fallbrook as a small vegetation fire broke out and threatened nearby structures Tuesday afternoon amid a red flag warning. 

Cal Fire San Diego crews were called to 2068 E. Mission Road just before 1:30 p.m. In approximately 15 minutes, crews had the forward rate of spread stopped. 

Mission Road was expected to be closed from Hamilton Lane to Stage Coach Lane as crews mopped up. 

The location is west of Interstate 15 just north of Live Oak Park Road.

Unusually high winds and low humidity prompted the National Weather Service to issue a high wind warning through Tuesday evening and a red flag warning through Wednesday evening for all of San Diego County. 

The winds have caused some damage in the North County. 

The NWS said areas could experience east to northeast winds of 25 to 35 mph, with gusts up to 55 mph and isolated gusts around 80 mph near the ridge tops of the mountains. The strongest winds were expected through the early afternoon, gradually weakening through the afternoon.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

In an extraordinary move for a first lady, Melania Trump’s office on Tuesday publicly called for the firing of a senior National Security Council official.

Stephanie Grisham, the first lady’s communications director issued a statement  saying the official, Mira Ricardel, should no longer serve as the NSC’s No. 2, NBC News reported.

"It is the position of the Office of the First Lady that she no longer deserves the honor of serving in this White House," Grisham said.

To address the on-going trend of San Diego teens being recruited for drug smuggling, a local group is organizing a meeting to inform parents throughout the county on potential dangers.

The Institute for Public Strategies (IPS) will host a multi-agency presentation at the Chula Vista Library Thursday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

“It is vital that we inform our youth that smuggling drugs has dramatic consequences,” said Mary Loeb, a juvenile prosecutor in the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office.

Even when teens are caught smuggling drugs at the border, the institute said, their work isn’t over. Drug cartels can use them for recruiting their peers.

“Just because you are not smuggling drugs does not mean you are not criminally responsible,” said Loeb.

IPS described targeted teens for smuggling and recruitment as typically socioeconomically disadvantaged or often alone.

IPS said the lifestyle centered on “prestige, partying, and social status” may be a draw for teens.

“Drug cartels are falsely promising easy money and protection, but there is nothing easy or safe about this lifestyle,” said Loeb.

Assistant U. S. Attorney Sherri Walker Hobson spoke with NBC 7 about this “disturbing trend” she’s seen throughout the county.

“These kids are 14, 15, 16, 17 years old. They just see the $400 that they’re making. They don’t look at the big picture,” said Hobson.

Some of the most common places for recruitment are schools, public transit stops, libraries, clubs, and near the border, IPS said.

Though, it’s not always physical. Social media and video game chatrooms may also be used to recruit teens, according to the organization.

The presentation at the Chula Vista Library will hear from several federal and local law enforcement agencies, IPS said.

Parents can hear facts, real-life stories, resources, and alternatives to prevent teens from smuggling drugs, according to the organization.

In March, three teens were found with hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of fentanyl, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In May, a former Chula Vista high school senior was charged with recruiting other students to smuggle drugs into the country from Mexico.

He was caught after he and four other teens were found with meth or fentanyl strapped to their bodies during the previous summer.

One of the teens told federal agents that he successfully crossed the border with drugs 15 or 20 times, sometimes twice in one day.

In July, NBC 7 Investigates spoke with one teen who, with two others, was caught smuggling $150,000 worth of drugs.

“I just wanted to get it because I could go party with it,” said the teen identified as David. “My parents, yeah, they gave me a roof, food, and everything, but they wouldn’t give me money for party.”

It was reported that David made $2,500 per trip. That was about 10 percent of the drugs' value.

David said he did it at least 30 times before he was caught.

In August, a teen was arrested after 11,490 fentanyl pills were found in a car. The teen said he was asked to drive the car by a friend who walked across the U.S.-Mexico border.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Attorney's Office highlighted South Bay school students as prime recruits for drug cartels.

Many of these teens, if convicted, would face a decade or more of prison.

Anyone with information about teen recruitment is asked to call San Diego’s Drug Enforcement Administration at (858) 616-4100.

Firefighters with Cal Fire and the United States Forest Service are responding to a fire burning in Alpine.

The fire was reported just before 3:30 p.m. on the 7900 block of Starlight Way northwest of Lake Cuyamaca.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

A local advocacy group says the City of San Diego deleted a line from a master plan document in order to allow a hotel owner to redevelop their bayfront resort.

Cory Briggs, the attorney for San Diegans for Open Government, filed a lawsuit last week against the City to stop a massive expansion of the Bahia Resort Hotel. 

If the project moves forward, a large percentage of the 170 public parking spots on Gleason Road along Mission Bay will be demolished to make room for the hotel’s renovation. That renovation will nearly double the size of the Bahia Resort from 310 rooms to 600 rooms.

Residents throughout San Diego attended public meetings in opposition to the plan and held public rallies against the proposal from Evans Hotels. They said removing the parking will prevent access to the bay and give the hotel public land to build their resort on.

Despite the public opposition, the Mission Bay Park Committee approved the plan in January of this year.

But the lawsuit filed in California Superior Court aims to prevent the city council from giving final approval.

The lawsuit alleges that on October 3, the City’s Planning Department made an “administrative correction” to the Mission Bay Park Master Plan, deleting a sentence drafted in 1997 to “retain Gleason Road” in its current state. Deleting the phrase clears the way for the council to approve the project and for the hotel owner to build.

According to the lawsuit, that decision was approved “unilaterally by City’s director of the planning department, and not by the city council, without any prior public notice, public input.” Doing so, claims the lawsuit, violates the City’s Municipal Code.

The attorney for the group Cory Briggs tells NBC 7 the decision to remove the line from the Mission Bay Park Master Plan is another example of the city working in the interest of hotel owners and not the public.

“They seem to think the public stopped paying attention,” says Briggs. “The courts will remind them that the public’s right of access cannot be eliminated with a bottle of White-Out.”

NBC 7 Responds reached out to the City Attorney’s Office for comment. A spokesperson said the office “will review the case and respond through the courts.”

Several San Diego County school districts are keeping students at home Wednesday following San Diego Gas & Electric's decision to shut off power service to customers in fire-prone areas.

The San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) said the following districts would be closed:

• Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
  Dehesa School District
  Julian Union School District
  Julian Union High School District
  Mountain Empire Unified School District
  Spencer Valley School District
  Jamul-Dulzura Union School District
• Julian Union School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Spencer Valley School District

Del Lago Academy, Campus of Applied Science in the Escondido Union High School District, and Solana Santa Fe School in the Solana Beach School District will also be closed Wednesday.

Del Lago, as well as schools in the Dehesa School District and Mountain Empire Unified School District were closed Tuesday.

Additionally, Jamacha Elementary and Cuyamaca Outdoor School were closed Tuesday. Jamacha is part of the Cajon Valley Union School District.

A red flag warning was issued in the county from the desert to the ocean and is paired with a high wind warning. Both alerts last through Tuesday evening.

Humidity was expected to drop between 5 and 10 percent from the mountains to the coastline, and wind gusts above 80 mph were felt in some parts of the county.

SDG&E suspended service for customers living in Warner Springs, Dulzura, Potrero, Campo, Jamul, Lyons Valley, Barrett Lake, Dehesa, Alpine, Japatul Valley, Buckman Springs, Morena Village, Otay Lake, Otay Mesa, Viejas, Boulder Creek, Pine Valley, Mount Laguna, Valley Center, Pauma Valley, Santa Ysabel, Lake Henshaw, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates, Wynola, Live Oak Springs, Boulevard, and Julian/Kentwood in the Pines areas as a safety precaution.

The utility company dispatched a large, one megawatt generated to the Julian community to help serve the businesses in the downtown area, D’Agostino said.

Wildfires continue to destroy large swaths of California, taking with it human life as well as homes and prized personal possessions.

NBC 7 Responds has some basic tips to help in case your home is in the line of fire and you or your loved ones are left with the burdensome task of filling out insurance forms to try and recoup your losses. Insurance companies don’t know what you lost, so it’s up to you to create a list of what was destroyed. When dealing with a claims adjuster you will need to fill out extensive paperwork to replace your home and the furnishings inside.

So, it’s extremely important that you create an inventory of all your belongings. While you can do that in writing, it’s much easier to pull out your cell phone out and start recording, going from room to room filming your belongings. You can narrate while you record.

“The most difficult thing for most people who are involved in a large fire is that they don’t remember what they had,” said State Farm Insurance agent Walt Waggener. “I’ve been through a fire and I can tell you when you are looking at a smoldering ruin you don’t remember what was there. It is so disorienting.”

Waggener says you need to be very detailed; open up drawers, go into your closets and your garage. Get all the video you can get. If possible include the make and model of home appliances. Makes sure to capture artwork, antiques and other valuables.

When you are finished, transfer the video from your phone onto a portable hard drive or store it in a “cloud” service. Be sure to store the information somewhere other than your home - little good it will do if it is damaged with all of your other belongings. 

And don’t wait until emergency crews knock on your door to start the project.

“As my Grandpa used to say, dig your well before you’re thirsty,” said Waggener.

The key is start the project now, before the fires or floods start knocking on your door. Preparation won't divert a disaster, but it can soften the blow.

A fire broke out two miles south of Valley View Trail in Pine Valley Tuesday.

Calfire San Diego and Cleveland National Forest Fire are responding.

Officials received a call about the fire at around 5:15 p.m.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

The San Diego City Council narrowly approved a plan to turn an abandoned indoor skydiving facility in East Village into a housing navigation center for the homeless.

The housing navigation center proposal was pushed heavily by Mayor Kevin Faulconer before the City Council voted unanimously in January to purchase the building at the corner of Imperial Avenue and 14th Street for $7 million.

The mayor has described the future center as a place with several community departments under one roof that could be a one-stop shop for homeless people looking for housing, job training, and veteran services.

The non-profit Family Health Centers of San Diego will run the navigation center.

“Imagine having no income, no car, no home, and being told that you have to visit multiple government offices throughout the region to get your life back on track. That happens every day in San Diego,” Mayor Faulconer said Tuesday.

District 3 City Councilmember Chris Ward, who represents the area, said the mayor’s plan missed the mark.

“There's no housing at the other end of the pipeline. There's nowhere to put individuals, and much of the services are proposed through this contract are duplicative,” Ward said.

The plan will cost the city over $1.5 million per year for the next five years.

One of the biggest concerns for the city's independent budget analyst and some councilmembers is the lack of commitment from other partnering agencies in San Diego to help with the housing navigation center.

Firefighters were working on extinguishing a small fire that sparked along a roadway in Grantville.

SDFD tweeted just after 6 p.m. the fire was approximately 20 feet by 30 feet in size on the 4700 block fo Mission Gorge Place.

Two fire engines were at the scene.

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

Hate crimes and incidents increased last year in San Diego County, with the victim's race, religion and sexual orientation -- in that order -- the target of those attacks.

The FBI’s Hate Crime Statistics report for 2017 reveals three local cities had an especially high ratio of reported hate crimes to population.

Carlsbad had seven reported incidents last year, and El Cajon and Oceanside each had six incidents, according to the FBI’s latest report.

The county’s unincorporated area had 14 reported hate crimes and incidents, the second highest number in the state, behind rural Los Angeles County's 15 reported incidents.

Deputy District Attorney Leonard Trinh, lead prosecutor for the D.A.’s hate crimes unit, said reported incidents in San Diego increased slightly more than the national average.

Trinh said hate crimes are on the rise nationwide, in part because of an increase in hate speech in social media and other public forums.

“The greater the frequency of hate speech, the greater the frequency of hate crimes,” Trinh told NBC 7.

The prosecutor said he often sees repeat offenders in hate crimes, which can make it easier to document bias and hatred as a motive and help win a conviction.

But Trinh says hate crimes can be hard to prove, because victims often don't know, or see, their attacker. That can limit the number of cases that make it to court and end with guilty verdicts or plea bargains.

Of the 25 alleged hate crimes referred by local law enforcement for prosecution last year, Trinh said his office rejected eight cases, filed 13 cases as hate crimes and four more as non-hate crimes.

The prosecutor said most local victims are targeted for their race, with African-Americans accounting for 60 percent of victims in local race-based hate crimes.

Trinh said Jews are the target of half of all religion-based hate crimes.

He also said he’s “shocked” that only 2,000 of more than 16,000 law enforcement agencies nationwide reported hate crimes or incidents in their communities last year.

"We have agencies in our county that are very small, and they report incidents that occur,” Trinh said. “So I know they're happening, and I find it hard to believe that none are occurring” in so many other communities across the nation.

Nationally, hate crimes across the United States spiked 17 percent in 2017 — marking a rise for the third straight year — with a 37 percent increase in anti-Semitic hate crimes, according to an FBI report released Tuesday.

While early poll results show presumptive winners in races across the county, the Mayoral race in Escondido is still too tight to project.

Republican incumbent Sam Abed leads Democratic challenger Paul McNamara by a slim margin, but plenty of votes have yet to be counted.

With less than a hundred votes separating the candidates one week after election day, both the candidates and voters will be monitoring the race closely as results file in.

Abed was elected mayor in 2010 and served on the City Council for six years before that.

The mayor was invited in May, along with County Supervisor Kristen Gaspar, to the White House to discuss immigration policy with President Donald Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions and Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen.

Abed told the president he was committed to creating a PAC to fight the California Values Act or Senate Bill 54, a law passed last year designed to protect undocumented people in the state. Some say the law makes California a "sanctuary" for immigrants.

In August an Escondido resident sued Abed in state court, alleging Abed blocked him from commenting on Abed’s Facebook posts, thus violating his right to free speech.

McNamara, a 20-year Escondido resident, has touted his experience as a Marine and twice-elected trustee on the Palomar College Governing Board.

He is currently the Executive Director of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot Museum Foundation, according to his campaign website.

Some people escaping the danger and destruction of fires in Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeking refuge in San Diego County.

When Dylan and Madison Reid got a mandatory evacuation notice to leave their Agoura Hills home, they went to a friend’s house in Malibu. But that still wasn’t far enough to escape the near 100,000-acre Woolsey Fire gorging on homes and brush.

So the Reid’s packed their three children in their car and headed south to get fresh air and escape the danger.

“We were really just trying to outpace the fire we saw coming and that was scary because we were gridlocked," Dylan said.

The Reid’s purchased their dream home in the Seminole Springs neighborhood of Agoura Hills after college.

It’s the place where they’ve raised their three young children, creating many memories. Now those memories and precious mementos are gone.

“I had my wedding dress I wanted to show my girls one day. Every sentimental thing. My grandma’s things, jewelry, it’s gone," Madison said.

At least 400 homes have been consumed by the Woolsey Fire.

In the Reid's Seminole Springs neighborhood they're not alone in their loss.

“Our whole community of friends. We all lost our homes. It wasn’t just our house, it was an entire neighborhood," Dylan said.

Friends have set up a GoFundMe page to help the couple.

Despite their loss, the Reids say they still have the three most important things in their lives, their children.

Their concern now is the hidden dangers waiting for them when they return.

“I’m afraid of the air quality, for the kids and us,“ Madison said. 

The Reids say they do have insurance. They're hoping to return over the weekend to see if anything can be salvaged and get with their insurance adjuster to find out what's covered so they can rebuild.

Survivors of California's deadliest wildfire say belated warning from public officials and a reluctance of residents who had survived previous fires to leave home were among the factors that contributed to the delayed and chaotic evacuations, NBC News reported. 

Much attention has been focused on the search for dozens of people who are still missing, as well as the possibility that power equipment belonging to the electric utility PG&E may have sparked the deadly fire. But some residents wonder why notice was not given sooner prior to the so-called Camp fire, which has killed at least 48 people and destroyed an estimated 7,600 homes — both records for California. 

"They definitely didn't do enough," said Christina Taft, whose 67-year-old mother has been missing since the fire. "She didn't expect it to be that bad. She expected someone would be calling, or something, if it got bad. But they didn't."

The Butte County Sheriff's Office said it delivered notifications about the fire danger via email, phone and text message. But at a Tuesday news conference, Sheriff Kory L. Honea said the fire's unusually swift progress south and west made timely notification difficult. 

The 2020 presidential election may seem far away, but hopeful candidates are already starting to host small events and engage their supporters in states with early primaries. New Hampshire is one of the earliest and most-watched primaries, which means that candidates from both parties begin to travel to it before they even officially declare that they're running. NBC10 Boston and necn are keeping track of which hopefuls have visited the Granite State, and what they do when they are here, so explore the interactive below to see some of our findings and check back as we continue to update it in the months leading up to the 2020 primary.

Are we missing a visit? Email us at web@necn.com

A brush fire erupted near the intersection of North Riverside Avenue and Sierra Avenue in Fontana Tuesday night and threatened homes on the border of Fontana and Rialto as it grew rapidly.

San Bernardino County Fire Department Public Information Officer Eric Sherwin told NBC4 that the fire was first reported at approximately 9:30 p.m.

The SBCFD's official Twitter account labeled the vegetation fire as the "Sierra Fire" and recorded the flames at 2-3 acres at 10:03 p.m.  Only 15 minutes later, the fire had grown to 20 acres.

The Sierra Fire was predominantly burning alongside North Riverside Avenue between Sierra Avenue and North Adler Avenue, but high winds assisted in spreading the flames, with embers clearly visibly flying into the bordering neighborhoods.

The embers spread and quickly lit up a fence and a tree. Firefighters were on scene to put out hot spots, but the winds posed a major threat.

As of 11:45 p.m., firefighters were holding the fire at 20 acres and no mandatory evacuations were ordered.

San Bernardino County Fire tweeted at around 3 a.m. Wednesday that despite the winds, firefighters were making good progress and patrols were monitoring embers in the neighborhood.