In a single day, three fires in San Diego County were reacted to by local organizations, including schools and a power company, which oversaw evacuations and made sure everyone was safe.
On January 21, there were three distinct fires in San Diego County, which prompted evacuations and firefighting activities. Updates on the fires in Lilac, Pala, and Friars were given by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).
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According to reports, the 85-acre Lilac Fire started at 1:19 a.m. close to Old Highway 395 and Lilac Road in Bonsall. The fire prompted warnings and evacuation orders earlier in the day. It is now 50% contained, according to a CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire report posted on X (previously Twitter).
Firefighters used aircraft resources, perimeter monitoring, and wind analysis to control the Lilac fires. The cause of the fire is still being looked into by authorities.
The San Diego Sheriff (SDS) declared on X that all evacuation orders and advisories have been canceled due to better containment. However, until further notice, portions of West Lilac Road and Old Highway 395 are still closed.
The SDS said, “Please drive carefully, as firefighters will continue to work in the area to mitigate the hazards and strengthen control lines. Dust and noise will be present throughout the day and night. Smoke may be seen from areas where the fire is still burning, but there is no threat to the public.”
In the meantime, CAL FIRE reports that the Pala Fire, which began at 2:16 a.m. close to Old Highway 395 and Canonita Drive in Fallbrook, is 100% contained at 17 acres. The SDS also advised locals to drive carefully and announced on X that evacuation orders had been revoked.
The Friars Fire, which started at 12:32 p.m. on Friars Road and Via De La Moda in San Diego after the Palo Fire, burned for three acres before CAL FIRE declared it completely contained.
The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD) said on X that no additional evacuations were required in a subsequent update. Residents who have already been evacuated, however, are required to avoid the area, and people in the vicinity are advised to stay indoors for their own safety.
Crews were later seen cleaning up hot patches west of State Route 163, close to Friars Road, according to the SDFD. Road restrictions are still in place to aid in recovery activities even after evacuation orders have been removed.
In reference to evacuation reports, the SDS also declared that Riverview Church in Bonsall, where evacuees can obtain necessities, has replaced Castle Creek Country Club in Escondido as the interim evacuation site for the Lilac Fire.
In the midst of the reported fires, other local agencies have provided information as recovery operations continue. As a precaution, the Innovation Center and Linda Vista campus were evacuated, and the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE) declared a number of school closures.
Julian Union Elementary, Julian Union High, Warner Unified, and Mountain Empire Unified districts all closed their schools on January 21. That day, the Ramona Unified School District also closed Bonsall Unified, Spencer Valley, and Mt. Woodson Elementary.
Due to continuous power outages, the SDCOE later updated its website to reflect the closures of Warner Springs and Mountain Empire Unified School Districts on January 22. “The safety of students and school staff is of the utmost importance to San Diego County school districts,” the statement continued.
Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) were introduced by San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) in response to fire-related outages.
The business recognized the difficulties brought on by the outages and urged locals to put safety first by visiting its online outage map for up-to-date information and restoration schedules.
