Wildfires break out in San Diego County prompting evacuations, damaging buildings
SAN DIEGO – A series of wildfires broke out in quick succession overnight Monday into early Tuesday in northern San Diego County, California. That comes amid another round of Santa Ana winds, which prompted Fire Weather Warnings.
On Tuesday afternoon, a new brush fire started in San Diego. Named the Friars Fire, it spread to 2 acres quickly after its start. FOX 5 San Diego reports the fire broke out near Fashion Valley Mall in a populated part of the city. Neighborhoods behind the hillside were given an evacuation order, but fire crews quickly got the upper hand and are now just mopping up.
The Lilac Fire ignited in the Bonsall area of northern San Diego County and prompted local officials to issue evacuation orders for those south of Pala Mesa and west of Interstate 15.
At least 86 people were evacuated, and two buildings were damaged by the flames, according to information posted by the North County Fire Protection District, which is working with CAL FIRE.
The fire started just before 1:30 a.m. local time.
Fire officials said there was an immediate threat to life in the area.
The Lilac Fire has now scorched 85 acres with 50% containment, according to CAL FIRE's Tuesday afternoon update.
San Diego County Fire said Tuesday afternoon that the spread of the fire was stopped.
The Bonsall Unified School District and several others in the county were closed because of the fire and evacuations.
Shelters for people and animals have been established, and the San Diego Humane Society said it deployed an emergency response team to rescue six horses.
Volunteers from the Red Cross were mobilized to the temporary evacuation point set up in Escondido.
A few miles north, the Pala Fire broke out an hour after the Lilac Fire. It burned west of I-15 in Pala Mesa. Evacuation orders were issued but have since been lifted, according to North Country Fire.
The Pala Fire was approximately 17 acres. CAL FIRE said the fire is 100% contained.
Meanwhile, a nearby fire named the Pala 2 Fire scorched more than 80 acres Tuesday.
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A different fire broke out in the Fallbrook area and was designated as the Riverview Fire. CAL FIRE reported that the forward spread of the fire was stopped. Fire officials described it as a vegetation fire that threatened buildings. It burned approximately 1 acre.
There was no immediate word on any injuries.
This all comes after the National Weather Service issued a "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Fire Weather Warning for a large portion of Los Angeles and Ventura counties between noon Monday and 10 a.m. Tuesday local time.
"Take action now to prepare your home and loved ones for another round of EXTREME Wind and FIRE WEATHER," the agency warned on X.
FOX Weather Meteorologist Craig Herrera noted on Monday that "critical (fire weather) extends all the way down into San Diego County, and elevated (fire weather) goes into the high deserts."
Since Jan. 7, more than 14,000 structures have been destroyed in the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County, leading to the event being labeled as one of the costliest disasters in U.s. history. The death toll rose to 28 on Tuesday as the Los Angeles County coroner identified another victim from the fires.
The Palisades Fire has burned nearly 24,000 acres and is now 63% contained as of Tuesday morning. The Eaton Fire has burned over 14,000 acres and is 89% contained.
Both fires are in the critical fire weather area highlighted by the National Weather Service.
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The Santa Ana winds are expected to taper off starting Tuesday afternoon and into Wednesday. The FOX Forecast Center warned that the risk of new fires or fire development remains high due to the dry conditions.
However, after weeks without significant rain, the FOX Forecast Center is tracking the potential this weekend for the most rain the area has seen in months.
Whether there will be enough rain to end the fire threat is still unclear.
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Ahead of the potential rain, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an Emergency Executive Order on Tuesday to shore up burned areas to prevent debris flows and toxic runoff from any potential flooding.
This phenomenon is known as burn-scar flooding in which rainwater cannot be absorbed by soil that has been burned by wildfires, leading to localized flooding.
The Executive Order directed the City Public Works Department to "clear and remove vegetation, shore up hillsides, reinforce roads and clear debris from neighborhoods."
Original article source: Wildfires break out in San Diego County prompting evacuations, damaging buildings
