NORTH COUNTY -- The stifling blanket of heat and humidity that has baked North County and the rest of Southern California for more than a week didn't let up Monday.

With no relief in sight despite spot showers from monsoon-type clouds, firefighters rushed to put out small brush fires and struggled to stop a huge wildfire in rural eastern San Diego County.

Shortly before a small brush fire forced home evacuations Monday afternoon in Vista, authorities said they had decided against sending any more local firefighters to help battle wildfires outside North County. By then, three strike teams of 15 engines, plus another engine assigned to another strike team and fire command staff from North County, were working the growing 7,000 acres-plus Horse fire east of Alpine.

"We're not sending any more to the big fire," said Bill Metcalf, chief of the North County Fire Protection District and zone coordinator for North County fire agencies. "We're keeping them for whatever might break loose in North County."

All of the North County fire stations are covered, and six extra fire engines also have crews, Metcalf said.

Firefighters were working in temperatures Monday that were only slightly cooler than the weekend's record-breaking heat across the sweat-soaked county. And National Weather Service forecasters weren't predicting any real relief as people continued to hit the beaches or "cool zones," such as air-conditioned libraries, malls and movie theaters.

"There might be a break some time in August," said forecaster Stan Wasowski.

Thermometers were expected to hover around 100 degrees today in the inland mountains and valleys, and in the 80s along the coast, Wasowski said.

At the Wild Animal Park, it was 107 degrees Monday; Ramona, 103; Poway and Fallbrook, 102; and Solana Beach, 84. Overnight lows were 69 to 70 degrees.

Statewide, authorities said they were investigating at least 29 possible heat-related deaths, most in the smoldering Central Valley where temperatures reached 115 degrees over the weekend.

With water temperatures a comfy 72 to 75 degrees off the North County coast, the good news was at the beaches.

"We're not getting all that sting ray activity," because the sea creatures now have warm water offshore, said Capt. Larry Giles, Encinitas marine safety director. "These sting rays have backed off."

Forecaster Don Whitlow said the relative humidity, 29 percent Monday in Escondido, might also back off a bit as temperatures drop a couple of degrees each day this week through Thursday and then level off.

More subtropical moisture is anticipated Friday into Saturday, "and then it looks like it might dry out," Whitlow said.

Early Monday, a National Weather Service statement noted that the scorching weekend temperatures were not only record-breaking, "but largely unprecedented in recorded history."

On Saturday, Escondido set a "particularly remarkable" all-time high of 112 degrees, shattering all records since 1900, the statement said.

Another record high was set Sunday in Escondido, when thermometers hit 98 -- three degrees above the previous mark of 95 set in 2000 for that date.

Officials were urging people Monday to stay where it was cool and bring their smaller pets in with them, including rabbits.

"We have had several cases of people walking in with heat-related illnesses today, heat exhaustion-type symptoms," said Andy Hoang, spokesman for Palomar Medical Center in Escondido.

Katherine Lunardi, community nurse educator for Palomar-Pomerado Health, said people should drink lots of non-alcoholic fluids and avoid caffeine; wear loose, light-colored clothing; and try a short, cool shower when all else fails.

"If you have seniors who are by themselves, have somebody check on them twice a day, not just once a day," Lunardi said.

Places to keep cool in North County include some senior centers and Escondido's Westfield North County mall.

A complete listing of cool zones with addresses and hours is available by calling (800) 510-2020 or online by clicking on the polar bear logo at www.sandiego.networkofcare.org/aging.

- Contact staff writer Jo Moreland at (760) 740-3524 or jmoreland@nctimes.com.