Update December 12, 2017  Now 95% contained, the Lilac Fire has destroyed 157 structures and damaged 64 more.  All roads are now open.

Update December 11, 2017:  The Lilac Fire is now 90% contained and all evacuation orders have been lifted.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo via Twitter

December 9, 2017 (San Diego) –The Lilac fire has destroyed 105 structures, injured at least five people and killed at least 46 thoroughbred race horses at the famed San Luis Rey Downs facility. 

Another 1,500 structures remained threatened today, Cal Fire reports. Firefighters are holding the fire at 4,100 acres, but full containment may take until December 21^st.

The good news is that overnight, firefighters made good progress in increasing containment to 20 percent. Winds were calm this morning but picking up later in the day, with a red flag warning remaining in effect until 8 p.m. Sunday.

Save receipts, take photos, and document your losses

East County News Service

December 8, 2017 (San Diego) – If you suffered damages due to planned power outages, you can submit a claim to SDG&E asking for reimbursement, says Helen Gao. SDG&E has posted information on its website:  https://www.sdge.com/business/services/making-claim or scroll down to view the information provided by the utility:

East County News Service

December 8, 2017 (San Diego) – Wildfires are currently devastating regions of Southern California, with hundreds of thousands of acres destroyed and people displaced from Ventura to San Diego Counties, including the growing Lilac Fire. United Way of San Diego County is working with United Way of Greater Los Angeles, which has set up the Southern California Wildfire Fund to help victims of these fires rebuild their lives. For this fund, 100 percent of the donations collected through this designated fund will support long-term recovery and re-building efforts for low-income families affected by the fires.

Insurance may help evacuated residents even if homes not damaged

Source: California Insurance Commissioner

Photo: ECM news partner 10 News

December 8, 2017 (San Diego) – Thousands of residents in San Diego, Los Angeles and Ventura Counties ordered to evacuate due to wildfires may have homeowner or renter insurance coverage to help with evacuation and relocation costs, even if their homes are not damaged or destroyed, and in many cases no deductible is required.

East County Wildfire & Emergency Alert Service

Photo: Brush Fire Partyline on Facebook

December 8, 2017 (Japatul) -- Firefighters have contained an 8-10 acre brush fire that started south of I-8 near the Japatul exit in Cleveland National Forest.

Multiple units responded from The U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, Viejas Fire, Alpine and Lakeside Fire departments to the Sweetwater Fire.

Photo, left: Map of outages in San Diego County as of 7:45 a.m. today.

December 8, 2017 (San Diego's East County) -- SDG&E has sent warnings to 170,000 San Diego County residents to be prepared for power shutdowns due to the high fire danger posed by strong Santa Ana winds. The utility has already shut off power to thousands of homes in communities across our region including portions of Alpine, Bonsall,  Boulevard, Campo, Cuyamaca, Descanso, Fallbrook, Jamul, Julian, Mount Laguna, Potrero, Ramona, Santa Ysabel, Vista and more.

The utility has warned residents that their power could remain off for several days until it can be safely restored. The shut-offs, meant to prevent powerline fires such as those that ignited the 2007 firestorms, are sparking concerns and outrage among some residents, particularly in rural areas. 

Electric well pumps don’t work with the power out, leaving no way to provide water for people or livestock.  Some rural areas lack cell phone service, leaving people with no way to learn about wildfires or other emergencies, unless they have a backup generator. Many residents are also shivering in cold temperatures dipping into the 40s at night, some left without electric heating.

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

December 7, 2017 (San Diego's East County) - Get an extra pet sweater or coat, or donate an old one to County Animal Services’ “Paw It Forward” campaign. These “creature comforts” will go to pets of people experiencing homelessness.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo courtesy ECM news partner 10 News

Update December 8, 2017 8:45 a.m.:  Cal Fire reports the fire has burned 65 structures but remains at 4,100 acres. Evacuation orders now extend west to Camp Pendleton.  Four civilian injuries and two firefighter injuries have occurred. 

December 7, 2017 (San Diego) – Governor Jerry Brown has issued an emergency declaration over the Lilac Hills Fire, which has scorched over 4,100 acres in the Fallbrook-Bonsall area. The County has also declared an emergency.

The devastating blaze is burning southwest and is still zero percent contained.  It started at 11:15 a.m. west of I-15 and north of Lilac Road on the Pala Mesa.

By this evening, at least 20 homes have burned, County Emergency Services reports. That includes numerous residences in the Rancho Manserate Country Club community.  An estimated 5,000 more residences are threatened.  Two people suffered burns and have been taken to a hospital.

Dozens of horses have died including many at the San Luis Rey training center, Times of San Diego reports. In Bonsall, numerous horses were let loose, running wildly through billowing smoke, a photo posted by Horses so Fine on Instagram states, adding, “Pray for them.”  Community volunteers have come forward to help save many horses and the Del Mar Fairgrounds has opened facilities for livestock including horses.

Update 4 p.m.  The fire is now 2,000 acres and still 0 percent contained, per Cal Fire. New evacuation orders: South of Hwy 76 West of I-15 Freeway North of Gopher Canyon Rd, East of East Village Way & Mission Rd.

Update 3 p.m.:  Lilac Fire is now 500 acres and 0 percent contained. County Emergency Services warns of "dangerous fires" in North County. EW evacuation warnings are in effect: North of Pala Rd., South of Reche  Rd., West of I-15 Freeway, East of Green Canyon Rd. & W. Mission Rd.  Cal Fire is excercising its option to get military helicopters as well as San Diego Fire & Rescue night-flying helicopters.

For highway closure info check here:  https://www.sigalert.com/map.asp?lat=33.31155&lon=-117.34502&z=1

Three temporary evacaution shelters have been set up at Fallbrook High School, Pechanga Casino and Pala Casino. The Del Mar Fairgrounds is accepting large animals.

Update 1:30 p.m.  The Lilac Fire is now 175 acres, Cal Fire reports.  Two structures have been burned.

December 7, 2017 (Fallbrook) -- The Lilac Fire is burning in North County near the Interstate 15 and State Route 76 junction in the Fallbrook-Bonsall area.  Several southbound lanes on I-15 are shut down due to the fast-moving blaze fueled by 30-40 mph winds.

By Miriam Raftery

December 6, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Tonight SDG&E has shut off power due many areas across East County and North County due to “an extreme weather event with high winds and dry conditions,” according to SDG&E’s website, which warns, “Current conditions indicate that power may remain out for several days before it can be safely restored. If your power is out, please be sure you have adequate emergency supplies on hand for an extended period of time and check here for the most current information on expected restoration times.”

The action comes just days after the California Public Utilities Commission ruled that SDG&E cannot bill ratepayers for its uninsured losses from the 2007 firestorms, when state regulators found its power lines responsible for three major fires.

Source: California Insurance Commissioner

December 6, 2017 (Sacramento) -- Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Insurance, Inc., have been served with an accusation by the California Department of Insurance seeking to suspend or revoke its licenses for alleged improper insurance sales practices related to the company's online insurance referral program, which resulted in insurance products being purchased and paid for by consumers without their knowledge.

By Miriam Raftery

East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts

December 6, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – With wind gusts forecast up to 90 miles an hour in San Diego’s mountains and valleys, along with low humidity, the National Weather Service is warning of the potential for explosive wildfires.  A red flag warning has been extended to Saturday evening.

Adding to the danger, many firefighters statewide are deployed to fight major fires burning in Ventura, Los Angeles and San Bernadino Counties, so mutual aide resources could be stretched thin if major fires develop in San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2017 (San Diego) -- If a smart bag is on your gift list this holiday season, you’d better check twice before you go shopping. 

Multiple major airlines including American, Delta, Alaska, United, Continental and Southwest have announced plans to ban many smart luggage pieces due to the risk of explosions caused by lithium ion batteries, 10 News reports.

By Miriam Raftery

December 4, 2017 (Spring Valley) – San Diego Supervisors’ agenda for this Wednesday, December 6^th includes a public hearing on Sweetwater Place,  a 122-unit condominium project and public park proposed by MasterCraft Homes on 18 acres in Spring Valley.

The project site is on the land formerly occupied by Evergreen Nursery, north of Jamacha Blvd. at Sweetwater Springs Blvd in the Spring Valley Community Plan area. It aims to help fill the need for housing in the Spring Valley-Rancho San Diego area.

Lora Lowes, Chair of the Spring Valley Community Planning Group, (SVCPG) has sent a letter to Supervisors voicing concerns about the proposal, and urges the public to attend and speak at the meeting. Read her letter (in 2 parts) here and here.

Loss of deductions and undercutting Affordable Care Act could eliminate savings for many middle class and low-income families and individuals

By Miriam Raftery

December 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) --By a narrow 51 to 49 vote, the Senate has approved a sweeping tax overhaul bill that marks the first significant legislative victory for President Donald Trump.  The Tax Cut and Jobs Act is broad, providing major long-term cuts for corporations and wealthy individuals plus short-term tax cuts for millions of other Americans.

But many of the savings for ordinary Americans will be negated, since the bill also takes away numerous tax deductions and eliminates a key provision of the Affordable Healthcare Act Act, meaning premiums will rise and many will lose healthcare, the Washington Post, Forbes and New York Times report. 

A Washington Post analysis finds that 62 percent of Americans will get a tax cut of at least $100 in 2019, but 38 percent will get no tax cuts. Less than half (44 percent) would have cuts of $500 or more—and most of those are wealthy, not middle class or low income families. By 2027, only 16 percent of individuals will still have tax cuts; 84 percent of Americans will have none.  But the cuts for corporations are permanent.