Wildfire and Emergency News

ECM EDITOR ON WIND WISE RADIO AT 4:30 TODAY

East County Magazine editor Miriam Raftery will be a guest on WindWise Radio.  The network, which specializes in wind energy issues, broadcasts nationally via live-stream over the Internet.

The show starts at 4 p.m. Pacific Standard Time, with Raftery slated at 4:40. She will talk about new developments with the Ocotillo Express and Tule Wind projects locally. 

Preston Arrowweed, an elder in the Quechan tribe which has filed a lawsuit seeking to halt the project, will also be a guest on the program.

Listen live at http://www.windwiseradio.org and please call in with your questions and comments at (213)943-3683! Tis is a great chance to air your concerns on wind issues nationally.

 

 


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HIGHWAY 79 CLOSED DUE TO BRUSH FIRES

Update 3:50 pm. The highway is expected to reopen by 6 p.m., starting with one-way traffic.  Traffic is being diverted up Old Highway 80 over the Sunrise Highway currently.

Update:  2:25 p.m.  These fires have been held to a total of 12 acres; air tankers are being dismissed. Fire is contained but not yet out; no structures were lost.


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SMALL FIRE DOUSED EAST OF JULIAN

June 11, 2012 (Julian)—A fire near the Rodriguez Spur Truck Trail and Pacific Crest Trail charred three to five acres east of Julian near Banner grade today, Cal-Fire reports. 


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FROM THE CHIEF’S CORNER! BARBECUE SAFETY TIPS

Fire Chief Sam DiGiovanna

 
June 7, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--It always pays for consumers to be aware that following a few simple safety precautions will help ensure that their outdoor cooking remains trouble-free and enjoyable.

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CAL FIRE OFFERS SAFE MOWING TIPS

 
June 6, 2012 (San Diego) -- If you use a gasoline fueled mower, remember that gasoline gives off flammable vapors which can cause a searing fire or a violent explosion - - it takes only a small spark or flame to bring about such a disaster.

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BANNER FIRE STARTED BY WEED-CLEARING EQUIPEMNT: KNOW THE RIGHT WAY TO CLEAR BRUSH

 

CAL-FIRE offers tips for safe brush-clearing

June 4, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – CAL FIRE has sent a warning advising homeowners to use caution when clearing dead brush and grass.  While creating defensible space is a critical step to prepare for wildfire season, as fire danger rises, unsafe use of power equipment can actually start a fire.


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BANNER FIRE 100% CONTAINED; EQUIPMENT BLAMED

May 29, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The Banner Fire is now 100% contained, after scorching 5,321 acres.    The blaze, which started in the Banner Grade area near Julian, cost $4 million in firefighting expenditures to date.


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BRUSH FIRE CONTAINED IN BOULEVARD

Note: ECM apologizes for not sending an alert on this incident. Our editor was away briefly and our assistant editor was left without power due to an SDG&E outage. Thanks to Cal-Fire and Donna Tisdale for the information provided below.


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BANNER FIRE NOW 90 PERCENT CONTAINED

May 27, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The Banner Fire has burned 5,321 acres and is now 90 percent contained, Cal Fire reports.  Full containment of the fire is expected Monday, when acreage estimates are also projected to increase due to more accurate mapping, Roxanne Provaznik at Cal-Fire said.


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IT’S TIME TO PREPARE FOR WILDFIRE

Residents Urged to Clear Defensible Space Ahead of Peak Fire Season

May 27, 2012 (Jamul) – On May 22, Cal Fire and County officials, including County Supervisor Dianne Jacob, gave a tour with the homeowners of a correctly cleared space around a Jamul home.  With vegetation drying out and summer drawing near now is the best time to make sure homes are protected by 100 feet of defensible space.  Cal Fire Chief, Thom Porter led the tour and provided a map of high-risk areas that have not burned recently.


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BANNER FIRE NOW 65 PERCENT CONTAINED; FIRE SUPPRESSION COSTS REACH $2 MILLION

 Updated May 27, 2012, 10 a.m. -- The Banner Fire was held at 4,100 acres through the night and remains 65% contained. Fire suppression cost has reached $2 million. Excess resources are now being dismissed, according to Roxanne Provaznik with Cal-Fire.


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BANNER FIRE NOW 3,100 ACRES; FULL CONTROL NOT EXPECTED UNTIL MAY 30

May 25, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – The Banner Fire has now scorched 3,100 acres and cost $575,000 in fire suppression costs.


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BRUSH FIRE ON HIGHWAY 94

 Update 5:10 p.m. - The forward spread of this fire has been stopped. 

May 25, 2012 (Dulzura) – A brush fire titled the "Pink Fire" is burning in the 17000 block of Highway 94 near Sycamore Canyon in the Dulzura area. 

“It’s burning under power lines,” Battalion Chief Nick Schuler informed ECM.  Currently the fire is approximately three acres in size, burning in a canyon to the east.


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FLARE-UP SPARKS EVACUATION OF RV RESORT IN SHELTER VALLEY

 

May 25, 2012 (Shelter Valley)--The Banner Fire flared up at the eastern end this afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuation of the Stage Coach Trails RV Resort at the south end of the Shelter Valley community.


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BANNER FIRE SWELLS TO 2,500 ACRES; NO STRUCTURES LOST

Update May 25, 2012-7:45 a.m. - The fire is now 2,500 acres and 20% contained.  There have been no reported injuries to firefighters and no structures were damaged or destroyed.  

Cal-Fire reports there are currently 36 engines, 17 fire crews, 3 bulldozers, 9 water tenders, 4 helicopters and 6 airtankers (393 firefighters).  Shelter Valley residents have been allowed to return home.


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BANNER FIRE BURNING EAST OF JULIAN


May 24, 2012 (Julian) – The “Banner Fire” which started at 2:14 p.m.  has burned four to five acres thus far east of Julian near the Banner Grade. 

“The fire is located in an area known as Cigarette Canyon close to the location of last year’s `Great Fire,’” Battalion Chief Nick Schuler say, adding that the blaze is spreading at a “moderate rate.”

Webcam image from Volcan Mountain:  http://hpwren.ucsd.edu/cameras/L/sy-av8185-1_3.jpg


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SECOND BORDER FIRE NEAR DULZURA


May 18, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – A border fire in Jewell Valley that has been burning for several days is now 100% contained.  However a new fire erupted this afternoon on Marron Valley Road near Dulzura.  The new fire, known as Border Fire #7, is now 70% contained and its spread has been stopped, according to Cal-Fire.

Border Fire #7 has burned about 25 acres in the U.S. and 15 in Mexico.  The Incident Commander has released three fire crews and all air-tankers assigned.


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SPREAD OF FIRE STOPPED ON U.S. SIDE OF BORDER; I FIREFIGHTER HAS MINOR INJURY

 

May 17, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) -- The spread of a 600-acre fire that has burned over 15 acres on the U.S. side of the border in the Jewel Valley area has been stopped, CAL-FIRE reports.

 “There is extensive mop up on this portion of the incident, and crews will be committed well into the night,” said Roxanne Provaznik with CAL-FIRE. “The fire is still spreading eastward in Mexico.  We will continue to monitor the fire activity in Mexico to determine any threat.”

There is one minor heat-related injury to a firefighter.


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600 ACRE FIRE HAS BURNED INTO U.S. FROM MEXICO

Update 1:20 p.m. - The fire has burned 15-20 acres on the U.S. side of the border, Incident  Page Network and Cal-Fire report.  Additional strike forces teams were ordered however Cal-Fire Roxanne Provaznik now states that good progress is being made on the fire and that two of four air tankers have been released. 

May 17, 2012 (San Diego's East County)--CAL FIRE/San Diego Fire Authority is on the scene of a brush fire along the U.S./Mexico border.  The fire in Mexico is approximately 600 acres and has just crossed into the U.S. 


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SPECIAL MEETING ON FIRE PARCEL FEE IN SAN DIEGO WEDNESDAY

 

May 15, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--The California State Board of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal-Fire) plans to hold a special meeting this Wednesday to receive public input on draft regulations as part of ABX1 29, better known as the $150 annual parcel tax or "triple" fire tax for properties within the state’s area of responsibility. 

 

The meeting will be held this Wednesday at 10 a.m. in the Board of Supervisors chamber at the County Administration Center, 1600 Pacific Highway in San Diego. 


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WILDLAND FIRE EXERCISES MAY 10-12 AT BARONA RESERVATION, FLINN SPRINGS DURING MONTH OF MAY

 
May 10, 2012  (Barona) -- San Diego County’s Annual Wildland Fire Exercise will be held this Thursday, Friday and Saturday (May 10, 11, 12) on the Barona Reservation. There will be dozens of fire apparatus traveling on the highways of Lakeside on their way to Barona who is hosting the event this year.
 
 

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CHIEF GHIO TO RETIRE; MAY STAY ON AS INTERIM CHIEF AT SAN MIGUEL

Update May 6:  Staff has now recommended that Chief Ghio be kept on at up to 40-hours a week (maximum of 960 hours through Dec.


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22ND HEARTLAND FIRE ACADEMY GRADUATED

May 2, 2012 (El Cajon) -- The 22nd Heartland Fire Academy graduation was held April 28th at the Ronald Reagan Community in El Cajon. A total of twenty-four graduates successfully completed 16-weeks of intense firefighter training at the Heartland Training facility in El Cajon in conjunction with San Diego Miramar College. The San Diego Firefighters Emerald Society Pipes & Drums Band led the graduates in as the ceremony began.


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CAL FIRE DEDICATES WARNER SPRINGS STATION

 

April 28, 2012 After more than 60 years of service, the Warner Springs Fire Station has been replaced by a state of the art facility. The $2.7 million dollar facility was funded by a state bond.

 


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SAN MIGUEL FIRE BOARD VOTES TO MOVE FORWARD ON PROPOSAL TO OUTSOURCE FIRE SERVICES TO CAL-FIRE

"What they did tonight is unconscionable."  --Board member Criss Brainard

"We have to fix this now." --Board President Chris Winters

 

By Miriam Raftery


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DONATED AMATEUR RADIO EQUIPMENT TO AID WITH COMMUNICATION IN A DISASTER IN EAST COUNTY

 
Story by Paul Rios
Photos by Billy Ortiz and Dennis Richardson
 
View a video by Billy Ortiz of this presentation
 
April 13, 2012 (Lakeside)--A once in a lifetime opportunity between the Lakeside Amateur Radio Club and The Lakeside Fire Department arose when the newly built Fire Station #2 was nearing completion.

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SAN MIGUEL FIRE DISTRICT HOSTS COMMUNITY MEETING APRIL 17 TO DISCUSS OUTSOURCING SERVICES TO CAL-FIRE

April 9, 2012 (La Mesa) – The San Miguel Fire Protection District will host a community meeting from 6:30 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. on April 17 at Foothills United Methodist Church, 4031 Avocado Blvd., La Mesa.  The meeting will provide residents a State of the District presentation and discuss the Request for Proposal submission from CAL FIRE for the outsourcing of the district’s fire protection. 


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AGUIRRE: SDG&E PLAN TO CHARGE RATEPAYERS FOR WILDFIRE COSTS IS "DONE DEAL"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Outraged? Scroll down to learn how to take action.

By Miriam Raftery

April 8, 2012 (San Diego) Updated April 10, 2012-- At the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) public meeting this week in San Diego, Administrative Law Judge Maribeth Bushey and CPUC Comissioner Timothy Simon heard from hundreds of area residents, including tearful testimony by numerous victims of the 2007 firestorms.  Some held twisted burned remnants of their lost homes. Others recalled friends who perished in the flames. 

But the most explosive testimony came from former City Attorney Mike Aguirre, who declared, “This decision is already made.”  He then leveled accusations that the two CPUC represenstatives present, Commissioner Timothy Simon and Administrative Law Judge Maribeth Bushey, are beholden to SDG&E and subverted the legal interests of fire victims and ratepayers.  


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“CPUC MUST REJECT PROPOSAL TO STICK RATEPAYERS WITH TAB FOR 2007 FIRES,” JACOB SET TO ARGUE

 

Supervisor warns of ‘purchased’ testimony from groups receiving SDG&E funding

SAN DIEGO— San Diego County Supervisor Dianne Jacob is set to ask state regulators to reject a proposal by SDG&E that would force ratepayers to shoulder the costs of the 2007 wildfires and future wildfires. The California Public Utilities Commission is holding public hearings on the matter tomorrow at the Al Bahr Shriners Memorial Auditorium, 5440 Kearny Mesa Road, at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m.


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ALPINE FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT PURCHASES NEW EQUIPMENT WITH GRANT FUNDS


March 31, 2012 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Fire Protection District is pleased to announce the purchase of new carbon monoxide detectors and a new roof ventilation prop. 
The funds to purchase these new advanced items were made possible through grant awards received from two local grant sources, San Diego County Indian Gaming Local Community Benefit Fund and the San Diego Regional Fire and Emergency grant.

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