Update 12 p.m. - This fire continues to spread and is moving toward the border, Cal-Fire's Nick Schuler said. There are currently 10 engines, 2 dozers, and 2 hand crews at the scene.  Helicopters are on the ground staging to combat the fire if it reaches the U.S.  In addition, air tankers are staging in Ramona if needed.  The fire is now 35+ acres.

September 19, 2010 (Boulevard) 11:25 a.m. – A brush fire is burning within 1,000 feet of the U.S.-Mexico border, just south of the community of Boulevard in East County. “Currently the fire is seven to 10 acres, rapid rate of spread moving in an easterly direction,” said Cal-Fire battalion chief Nick Schuler.

Update 3:25 p.m.  Aircraft have been released and firefighters remain on hand mopping up hotspots at the scene of the fire, which is now contained.

September 18, 2010 (Spring Valley) 2:10 p.m. - The Jamacha Fire is now 50 acres and forward spread is halted, Chief August Ghio of San Miguel Fire confirms.  The fire is under joing command of Cal-Fire, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and San Miguel Fire.

Anxious residents poured into the streets to watch the fire at the Lamplighter Village mobile home park, where flames encroached just behind the complex. Smoke is visible from throughout East County and an evacuation center has been set up at Skyline Church.

By Miriam Raftery

Funds allocated for facilities, equipment and technology—but no money to hire more firefighters

"You are sitting on $700 million in reserves at a time when San Diego County has had more people burn to death in wildfires in the past decade than anywhere else in the nation,” - Steve Whitburn, candidate for Supervisor

September 15, 2010 (San Diego) – The San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted yesterday to consolidate rural fire agencies and create a regional fire protection plan recommended by a Fire Deployment Study. The Board also named Cal-Fire's Howard Windsor to head up the County Fire Authority.

“There’s more to do, but we’re moving forward,” Supervisor Dianne Jacob said. The plan allocates $15.5 million a year to the County fire agency, but Supervisors approved only $5 million this year for start-up efforts.

Update 2:35 p.m. Forward spread of this fire has been stopped.

September 9, 2010 (Valley Center) 2:15 p.m. – Cal-Fire is on the scene of a two- to three-acre brush fire off of Old Guejito Grade Road and North Lake Wohlford Road, near the community of Valley Center (Thomas Brothers Map page 1111 C-1). The fire was reported at 1:48 p.m. and the cause is under investigation. The fire is burning to the east and there is no immediate structure threat.

Update September 6, 12 p.m. - The Cowboy Fire is now 95% contained, Cal Fire reports. Cost to fight the fire has exceeded $2.7 million.

September 5, 2010 3:15 p.m. -- The Cowboy Fire, which has reached 827 acres, is now 84% contained.  Cost to fight the fire to date is nearly $1.9 million.

Story and photos by Dennis Richardson

September 4, 2010 (Ramona) -- Aerial firefighters continue battling the Cowboy Fire, which is currently 65% contained with full control predicted Monday night. If not for this Ramona air field,  brush-covered open spaces in our backcountry would be even greater threats to residents throughout San Diego County.

Update September 4 2010, 12 p.m.  -- The Cowboy Fire is 827 acres and 65% contained. Full containment is expected tomorrow at 6 p.m. and full control is expected on September 7th at 6 p.m., Cal-Fire reports. View map of fire at bottom of this article.

East County News Service

September 3, 2010 (Campo) – The Cowboy Fire, which has burned 822 acres, was started by two illegal immigrants who were in distress, Cal-Fire reports.

“They called C4, which is Mexico’s emergency dispatch system, and advised them that they had been lost for two days, were stranded, dehydrated, and were going to light a signal fire to attempt to get some help,” said Roxanne Provaznik, public information officer for Cal-Fire.

Update 8:35 p.m. -- The Cowboy Fire is now 719 acres and is 10% contained.  Progress is "excellent" according to Cal-Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler.

September 2, 2010 (Campo) 7 p.m. --The Cowboy Fire has reached 300 acres, however Cal-Fire public information officer Roxanne Provaznik reports, "Firefighters are beginning to make some progress."  The fire is currently back-burning onto itself and there is minimal threat to structures.

September 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) 3:30 p.m. update:  – The Cowboy Fire is now 75 acres to 100, Cal-Fire reports.  Campo Elementary School is being evacuated, with students taken to Mountain Empire High School. 

Update 2:35 p.m. Campo Elementary School is being evacuated; students will be taken to Mountain Empire High School

September 2, 2010 (San Diego’s East County) – The Cowboy Fire reported at 1:13 p.m. is now 20 acres, burning between Campo and Potrero near the Pacific Crest Trail.  Incident Page Network indicates the fire is near the junction of Highway 94 and Star Ranch.  Other reports indicate the location is within Hauser National Wilderness and Cleveland National Forest areas.

“Currently the fire is inaccessible by ground units,” Cal-Fire battalion chief Nick Schuler said. “They are attempting to make contact with the fire now,” he said, adding that air tankers and helicopters are also on the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Dennis Richardson
 

Update 7:30 p.m. -- Cause of the fire has been determined to be accidental, due to workers installing a fence. 

August 27, 2010 (El Cajon) updated 1:30 p.m. -- Heartland Fire dispatch confirms that a fire that forced evacuation of homes near Grossmont College is now fully contained.  No buildings were lost or damaged.

Scroll down for videos provided by a reader.

August 26, 2010 (Lakeside) - Fire investigators have determined that two juveniles playing with fire caused the Monte Fire, which started on August 21st and burned 926 acres. The blaze briefly threatened homes near the fire’s origin and nearly caused the death of two rock-climbers who were rescued by a Sheriff's helicopter in the nick of time.

Recently, there has been a rash of fires caused by children playing with matches or lighters in the backcountry, Cal Fire's Roxanne Provaznik said.

Story and photos by Dennis Richardson

August 23, 2010 (San Diego) -- San Diego Fire Department responded to a canyon fire at 66th and Skyline. The blaze started at mid-day and threatened several homes as the fire expanded in size. Firefighters, with the aid of air attack helicopters, were able to hold the fire to one acre as it burned heavy bush in the center of a populated neighborhood.

August 22, 2010 (Lakeside) 8:30 p.m. – Asked for an update on the Monte Fire, U.S. Forest Service public information officer Kate Kramer had good news.

“We’re doing really well,” she said, adding that the fire has been held to 1,027 acres. “We’ve been working hard on getting a line about it, and we expect full containment by 6 p.m. tomorrow.”

Golden eagle nest saved in El Monte Valley;

Fire reignites worries about PowerLink lines

East County News Service