As the water level at Lake Hodges remains low, neighbors fear what could happen if a wildfire tears through their valley again, as it did nearly two decades ago — this time with a much smaller water barrier to slow the spread. Efforts continue to urge the City of San Diego, which owns Hodges Dam, to raise the lake level from 280 to 295 feet. … Four years ago, the city completed a risk assessment for Hodges Dam that found its risk score exceeded industry standards. … According to the city, the report concluded that lowering the lake to no more than 280 feet was necessary to reduce “potential life loss in the event of a dam failure.” … Paul Bernstein, whose home overlooks the lake, along with Del Dios Town Council President Kevin Kidd and Councilmember Brian Caldwell, believes the city’s analysis, which led to the lower water level, was flawed and failed to consider important upstream impacts that would result if the lake level dropped.