September 28, 2012 (San Diego) – You don’t know where you’ll be when the next wildfire or other major emergency hits San Diego County. But this week’s destructive Shockey Fire is our latest reminder that emergencies do happen here.

Starting today, you can download SD Emergency to your iPhone, iPad or Android phone or tablet to get critical emergency information wherever you are. The app is designed to keep residents and their families informed and safe throughout events likely to affect the region, such as wildfires, or potential threats, such as damaging earthquakes or terrorist events.

The following details were provided in a press release from the district, which has been plagued by budget shortfalls, contentious public meetings, and labor-management disputes in recent years.

September 27, 2012 (Spring Valley) -- The San Miguel Consolidated Fire Protection District’s Board of Directors voted onSeptember 25 to approve a Cooperative Service Agreement with CAL FIRE. The Board voted unanimously to approve  the five and a half-year agreement. Board President Chris Winter said, “This Cooperative Agreement allows the District to proceed with a balanced budget, maintain the current level of service for our residents and provide for the long-term viability of the District.

By Nadin Abbott

Photos by Tom and Nadin Abbott

September 26, 2012 (Boulevard)—Around  five in the afternoon, as the sun was starting to set, the first residents of Boulevard’s Tierra del Sol neighborhood began  to come home. There was anxiety in some faces, as well as relief on others, as they learned what state their properties were in –and whether their homes had survived the devastating 2,850 acre Shockey Fire that destroyed 11 homes and claimed the life of an elderly man.

September 26, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The Shockey Fire is now 95% contained.  The fire, which claimed the life of an elderly resident in the Tierra del Sol area of Boulevard, a community founded a century ago for railroad workers. 

After conducting an assessment in the area, Cal Fire has confirmed 11 homes burned and 14 outbuildings, with two additional structures damaged. That’s an improvement over earlier Cal Fire estimates, which had indicated 20 homes and 15 outbuildings were believed lost. In addition, 11 vehicles have been destroyed and two firefighters were injured.

Red Cross will also join partners at County's Local Assistance Center Wednesday

September 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--In response to the Shockey Fire, American Red Cross disaster workers are continuing shelter operations at Mountain Empire High School located at 3305 Buckman Springs Road, Pine Valley, 91962.

The Red Cross will also be joining the County’s Local Assistance Center (LAC) for residents who suffered losses in the fire. The LAC will open beginning Wednesday, Sept. 26, at the Jacumba Library located at 44605 Old Highway 80, 91934. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 26, 27, 28 and 29.

Fire has scorched 2,450 acres and is now 40% contained, 25 homes still threatened in Tierra del Sol area. View map of fire

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2012 (Boulevard) –A charred body has been found  at the burned residence of an 82-year-old disabled man, who did not leave despite reverse 911 calls made in the area advising residents of mandatory evacuation orders.   Neighbors told ECM news partner 10 News that deputies and firefighters were searching for Carson Robinson, who  was missing after the Shockey Fire roared through his neighborhood on Tierra del Sol Road in Boulevard.

“It’s extremely prudent upon homeowners to definitely heed the warning and exit the premises as quickly as you can,” Cal Fire Captain Richard Cordova told ECM, indicating that this tragedy may have been preventable. 

By Miriam Raftery

September 24, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fire reports this morning that an estimated 20 homes have been destroyed and another 10 damaged, along with approximately 15 outbuildings.  The fire is now 2,000 acres and 10% contained.

Homes lost are all in the Tierra del Sol area, Mike Mohler of Cal Fire told ECM.  “We’re going to go out right now to compile a list of the addresses,” he said when asked for details on locations of residences that burned.

“Tierra del Sol and Jewel Valley remain evacuated and are still threatened,” Roxanne Provaznik of Cal Fire said in a release issued at 6:50 am.  Highway 94 is closed between the Shockey Truck Trail east to Jewel Valley.

Update 12:10 a.m. September 24 -- Due to the wildfires, all schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District will be closed on Monday Sept. 24.

Update 11:45 p.m. – The Shockey Fire has swelled to 2,000 acres and is 10% contained, Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Mike Mohler advises.  Evacuation advisory for Jacumba; structure threat and evacuations continue for Boulevard and Tierra del Sol communities. Numerous structures are damaged or destroyed; Southwest power grid is also threatened. 

By Miriam Raftery

September 23, 2012 (Boulevard) – Boulevard Planning Group Chair Donna Tisdale has provided ECM with a dramatic eyewitness account of the Shockey Fire, which started on the Campo Reservation just west of her home in Boulevard.  Power and phone lines have burned down, she reports, adding that the area has no cell phone reception. 

“A Deputy showed up to warn us and recommended evacuation.We stayed and the fire raged through parts of our Morning Star Ranch and our son's property next door. Together we have over 300 acres--much now looks other worldly, stark and smoldering,” wrote Tisdale, who sent photos taken from her property.

By Nadin Abbott

September 21, 2012 (Julian) -- Firefighters from across the region converged on Farmer’s Road, a narrow country lane on the north side of Julian to fight a brush fire that has been contained at 20 acres.

Camp Stevens, as well as the residents of Farmer Road were evacuated as a precaution, however no structures burned.

By Fire Chief Dan DiGiovanna

It’s not just the health concerns and power outages associated with hot days…we are stepping right into our first high pressure system of the season and if you ask any fire service authority, all will agree this will be an extremely dangerous fire season according to Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna.

September 13, 2012 (Sacramento) – Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego) announced today that her legislation to protect development from wildfire has been signed into law by Governor Jerry Brown.

“SB 1241 will save lives and property.  It will also ease the financial burden for fire suppression on both state and local governments through early, consistent, and meaningful fire hazard planning statewide,” stated Senator Kehoe. “We have fires in California every year.  As more people move into State Responsibility Areas and high fire hazard severity zones, it’s become critical that local governments plan for fire hazards in these high risk areas as early in their land use planning process as possible,” Kehoe said.

September 13, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – As fire parcel fee notices arrive in the mail for rural homeowners in East County, the Howard Jarvis Taxpayer Association has filed a lawsuit contending that the fee is an illegal tax that required a two-thirds majority of the Legislature for passage.

If the gorup prevails, a court may order refunds. The organization’s website, FireTaxProtest.org site has a Petition for Redetermination that it suggests property owners mail in with their payments:  http://firetaxprotest.org/?page_id=13.