By Miriam Raftery

Photo: SDG&E webcam

Other photos:  Steve Wingfield of Jamul

Update August 16:  The fire in Mexico has been renamed  #Border8Fire. It is now over 1,500 acres and is 30% contained. Cal Fire is preparing to send a strike team to assist firefighters in Mexico.

Update August 15:  The fire is now 1,100 acres but still confined to Mexico. Cal Fire is monitoring the situation.

August 14, 2019 (Tecate) – A fire burning in Mexico has scored over 250 acres in the Tecate area and has potential to cross the border near Potero.  Cal Fire has pre-treated fuels on the U.S. side of the border and will have crews remain on scene overnight at the fire, dubbed #BorderFire.  The blaze is within 1/8 of a mile from the international border Cal Fire reports.

UPDATE AS OF 7:22 PM:  Fire is now 100 acres on the U.S. side, 650 acres total with 10% containment. The combination of ground and air resources has allowed for significant progress, and containment is likely to increase overnight.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alert Service

July 12, 2019 (Dulzura) – A brush fire that has charred over 100 acres in Mexico has crossed the international border and near Cottonwood Creek and Barrett Truck Trail south of Dulzura.  The blaze has charred around 10 acres on the U.S. side of thee border in rural San Diego County, according to Cal Fire.

Patch.com reports 60 firefighters on scene including two air tankers, two helicopters, six engines, two dozers, two hand crews and a water tender.

Update 11:54 a.m.  The Sheriff advised residents through Alert San Diego that  the fire is in the Bee Canyon area of Dulzura. No evacuations have been advised but residents are urged to stay tuned to local media and make sure your mobile phone is registered with AlertSanDiego to receive evacuation notices, www.ReadySanDiego.org and follow Cal Fire for updated fire information: https://twitter.com/CALFIRESANDIEGO

Update 11:40 a.m.  The fire is now 15 percent contained and has burned 120 acres, Cal Fire reports.

Update 10:45 a.m.  Fire is now 110 acres and still zero percent contained. SDG&E's helicopter, several fixed wing aircraft and over 220 firefighters are among the resources at the scene. 

September 1, 2017 (Dulzura) -- The #BorderFire burning in Dulzura has charred at least 50 acres of brush and is zero percent contained.  The blaze began at 5:40 a.m. near State Route 94 and Marron Valley Road. There are no road closures at this time. The fire is burning to the north and east.

Resources committed include 20 fire engines, 10 hand crews, 7 water tenders, 3 bulldozers, and 3 Type II helicopters.

You can view video and a map at Cal Fire's Twitter feed here:  https://twitter.com/CALFIRESANDIEGO

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Richard Edwords: Harrowing ride along State Route 94 during Border Fire

September 15, 2016  (San Diego’s East County) – The County’s Border Fire 2016 After Action Report  presents a review on the regional response to the Border Fire that ignores many serious complaints lodged by rural residents in the fire. The report was written entirely by official agencies and  does not include concerns raised by the public, leading rural planning officials,  residents and a community news editor to contend the county whitewashed their concerns.

 The blaze killed two people , destroyed five homes and left countless animals without care in triple-digit heat while residents were refused access  for days after the fire. While residents praise efforts of firefighters who worked valiantly to prevent worse losses, many feel betrayed by officials in the wake of the Border Fire report and other complaints that residents say have yielded little or no meaningful changes.

The report omits entirely any mention of controversies over the deaths of Potrero residents Jim and Kyrie Keefe,  whose bodies were found by community volunteers.  Agencies praised themselves in the report, while omitting criticisms on issues such as lack of  adequate care for animals stranded in triple-digit heat and inadequate evacuation notifications -- in some cases, just yellow caution tape stuck on mailboxes, with no explanation or direct contact with residents in danger after their phone lines, cell towers and Internet service all  went down in communities such as Potrero and Lake Morena.

By Miriam Raftery

July 6, 2016 (Potrero) –“How do we move forward now?”  Robert Buerer(photo,left), leader of the Potrero  Community Emergency Response (CERT) Team asked at  a Potrero Foundation disaster preparedness meeting on Saturday, July 3 in the aftermath of the Border Fire.

He wants to expand a Neighbor to Neighbor program that’s arisen out of Neighborhood Watch.   Each neighborhood would have a team leader and phone tree to spread word about alerts and evacuation notices to  neighbors.  To prevent a recurrence of the tragic loss of a couple trapped during the Border Fire with a broken-down vehicle, the program would enable neighbors to learn if someone needs help to evacuate or find a haven for those who choose to shelter in place.

By Miriam Raftery

June 30, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – Emotions ran high at a community meeting on Border Fire issues convened by Supervisor Dianne Jacob this morning at the Barrett Junction Café in Dulzura.

 Rural residents praised efforts of firefighters, but voiced frustrations and pointed criticisms over problems that arose including lack of adequate care for animals in the evacuated areas and at shelters. communications failures, and inadequate help to locate a missing couple found dead yesterday by volunteer searchers in Potrero.

Jacob  converted a  previously planned coffee with the community event into a forum for the public to air concerns and for officials to respond.  Representatives from Cal Fire and the Sheriff’s Department turned out, but Animal Services did not.  “Not being here is not a good thing,” Jacob said of Animal Services, adding that she has heard many complaints from rural residents about both Animal Services and the Sheriff’s Department.

East County News Service

Photo: Day 2 of the Border Fire, Cal-Fire

June 28,2016 (San Diego) -- The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to help those who lost homes or buildings in the Border Fire. The County will waive fees for building permits and plan-check reviews. 

Fees will only be waived for structures that were legally permitted originally, prior to the fire. The Board’s Tuesday action would also distribute trash bins to people in the fire areas to help them clear debris.

The Border Fire started June 19^th and over the past 10 days has charred over 7,600 acres, destroyed five homes and 11 outbuildings. CAL FIRE reported Tuesday that the Border fire, which grew to 7,609 acres, was 92 percent contained.

“It’s an absolute tragedy for anyone who has lost everything,” said Supervisor Dianne Jacob, whose district includes the Potrero, Campo and Lake Morena communities ravaged by the Border Fire.

East County News Service

June 27, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) -- Over 5,200 firefighters are battling nine large wildfires in California, Cal Fire advises. While the Border Fire in San Diego’s East County is now 80% contained after burning 7,609 acres, other major wildfires are scorching areas across California.

The largest is the Erskine Fire in Kern County, which has charred over 45,000 acres and is now 40% contained, though evacuation orders remain in place. Several new fires broke out yesterday during high temperatures and low humidity.

Below are the latest updates on fires statewide, with links to full details.

Source: County of San Diego

For assistance reuniting with your pet, go to County Animal Services’ lost pet page. (Also view a gallery of rescued animals here.)  If you know of animals that need assistance, please contact County Animal Services at 619-236-2341.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Rapture's Horse Rescue joined efforts led by Deerhorn Valley Antler editor Kim Hamilton with help from local community members and businesses to bring supplies to Potrero

June 25, 2016 (Campo/LakeMorena) – With the Border Fire now 70% contained, relief efforts continue.  Shontel Grivno at Rapture’s Horse Rescue Foundation sent us the following e-mail this morning asking for supplies of non-perishable foods, water  propane and animal feed for fire survivors, livestock and pets in the Campo/Lake Morena communities:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: County Fire Chief Gary Croucher

June 23, 2016 (El Cajon) --At a community meeting Thursday night at the Los Coches Creek Elementary School in El Cajon, fire officials gave a briefing on steps they took to battle the Border Fire, which since Sunday has burned close to 7,400 acres, destroying 5 homes and 11 outbuildings.  

Residents voiced gratitude toward firefighters for  valiant efforts to save homes and lives, also acknowledging much that has improved since the 2003 and 2007 firestorms thanks to better investments in firefighting equipment and technology.

But some voiced concerns over areas they hope to see improved-- notably helping children and young teens forced to evacuate when parents were away at work, slow communications early on about the fire’s progress, animals lacking food and water in the evacuation zone, and inadequate water at Lake Morena for firefighting aircraft due to the city of San Diego draining the reservoir too low.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alerts

June 23, 2016 (San Diego's East County) -- Cal Fire and the County Office of Emergency Services have released the following updates on new and contining road closures due to the Border Fire.  Also, a large plume of smoke visible this afternoon is due largely to a backfire lit to protect communities.

Below is the latest info on road closures:

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy County Animal Services:  Dog rescued from Border Fire by reporter Joe Little from ECM news partner 10 News on Highway 94 in Potrero.  The County is seeking the owner of the dog, which suffered four burned paws.

June 22,2016 (Potrero) – A humanitarian crisis is occurring in Potrero, where fire and law enforcement authorities continue to deny access to residents seeking to bring in feed and water for pets and livestock that are dying  of neglect in triple-digit heat within the evacuation area for the Border Fire.

Within the past hour, Colin Richard posted this message on the Potrero Town Feed on Facebook:

By Miriam Raftery

June 22,2016 (San Diego’s East County) – If you’re evacuating from the Border Fire, be aware that the Circle T Ranch is filled to capacity. The County  advises that large animal shelters are available at the Boulevard Customs and Border Protection station on 2463 Ribbonwood Rd. in Boulevard and has provided contact numbers for help to evacuate pets and livestock.

In addition, several private ranch owners have notified East County Magazine that they have facilities to take in large animals.

The San Diego Humane Society has worked with the Red Cross to set up a pet-friendly shelter in conjunction with the family evacuation shelter at Los Coches Middle School on 9669 Dunbar Lane in El Cajon.