East County News Service

October 1, 2023 (Potrero) -- Two people have been arrested after more than 50 firearms were seized in a search of a  Potrero residence.

Update August 18, 2023 -- The #Coyote Fire has burned 466 acres and is 43% contained. A firefighter injury is reported and two structures were destroyed.

Update 3:45 p.m. -- The fire is 100 acres and threatening homes near Round Potrero Rd. and  Horizon View. Round Potrero Road is closed between Yerba Santa Road to  Potrero Valley. The evacuation order area has broadened;view map: . temporary evacuation center has been set up in the parking lot of the Mountain Empire High School at 3305 Buckman Springs Rd. in Pine Valley. You can take your animals, including livestock, to the @SanDiegoCounty Animal Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita

August 17, 2023 (Potrero) -- Cal Fire is at the scene of a vegetation fire on Coyote Holler Road near Ranch Road in Potrero.

The fire has burned at least five acres and has a dangerous rate of spread, per Cal Fire.

The Sheriff's vehicles now have a hi-low alarm sound.  If you hear it, evacuate immediately.

Update July 29, 2023: The evacuation warnings have been lifted.

Update July  28, 2023 8:40 a.m.: The #Border21Fire fire remains four acres in the US, acerage in Mexico is undetermined, Cal Fire reports. Evacuation warnings remain in effect for the area just west of Tecate, CA. Crews will work through the day to minimize the threat of the fire extending any further northwards.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Border 32 Fire on Mount Cuchama, by Robin Brailsford

July 27, 2023 (San Diego’s East County)  -- An evacuation warning, meaning impending danger to property, has been issued due to the #Border21Fire.  The fire is burning in the southeastern part of the county off Grapevine Truck Trail and Tecate Truck Trail.  The evacuation warning is in effect for the Tecate and Potrero area in the shaded areas shown on the map below this story.

A temporary evacuation center has been set up at Steele Canyon High School, 12440 Campo Rd., Spring Valley.

When a warning is given, you should assume an evacuation order will follow, the Sheriff advises.  Start now to gather important items for your family and pets, and if you feel you are in danger, don’t wait—go.

Remember these six “Ps” when preparing to evacuation:

By Miriam Raftery

March 27, 2023 (Potrero) – A 300-year-old old oak tree toppled onto the porch of the former Potrero Café, next door to the historic Potrero Store, which was built in 1883 and first operated by Joseph and Damond Thing. The store remains open.

“The restaurant’s been closed for six years,” Michael Streenan, owner of the property, told East County Magazine. The tree damaged two exterior porches and an asphalt parking lot, but fortunately the buildings on the property are intact, he said.

“No one was injured when the tree fell. “Nobody even heard it come down. We just came out and saw it,” says Ryan Streenan, Michael’s son.  Neither of the Streenans knows how old the café building is, though Ryan said it may have been a house for former owners of the store.

The most likely cause of the massive tree’s collapse is the recent heavy rainfalls that have left the ground saturated.  “I guarantee you we’ve had 10 inches here,” says Jan Hedlun, a member of the Potrero community planning group. “I’ve been stranded three times on my own driveway because the water’s been 15 inches deep.  I had one oak tree branch break and fall; another tree had a branch come down.”

By Chuck Westerheide, County of San Diego Communications Office

September 13, 2022 (Potrero/Dulzura) - County Emergency Services opened a Local Assistance Center Monday to support those affected by the Border 32 Fire.  The fire burned 4,400 acres and destroyed more than a dozen homes and buildings in the area between Dulzura and Potrero.

East County News Service

September 3, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – The Tecate, Potrero and Dulzura Post Offices have all been reopened and have resumed operations at their facilities. 

Story and photos by Josh Stotler

ECM photojournalist Josh Stotler provides eyewitness account of harrowing conditions

August 31, 2022 (San Diego’s East County) – Covering the Border 32 Fire last night, I observed some of the most extreme fire behavior that I’ve seen in my career as a firefighter and now, photojournalist. Amid the rapidly changing conditions, I wound up assisting a firefighting crew with a ride away from advancing flames and taking dramatic video as walls of flames crossed Highway 94, where fire crews and I narrowly escaped the fast-moving flames.

The fire has charred huge swaths of San Diego’s East County, burning 4,246 acres as of this morning. The blaze is 5% contained and has destroyed at least four homes, as firefighters continue to battle adverse conditions.

Update 10 p.m.  The fire is now 4,234 acres and 5% contained.  The fire continues to threaten the communities of Barrett, Potrero, and Tecate.  Multiple agencies are on scnee fighting fire and protecting structures through the night.

Update 9 p.m.:  An ECM reporter on scene tonight reports "explosive" fire behavior.  A second ECM reporter on scene witnessed electrical equipment explode. The fire is burning near State Routes 188 and 94, heading north. Scanner traffic indicates several homes burned and two civilians suffered burn injuries; a firefighter had a minor heat-related injury.  If you are in the path of this fire, do not wait -- get out now.  The Border Patrol is assisting the Sheriff Dept. with evacuations.

Update 8 p.m. : All schools in the Mountain Empire School District will be closed tomorrow due to the fire.  

SDG&E reports fire damaged electrical equipment, causing an outage for 309 homes in Dulzura, Potrero and Campo. Restoration is expected by noon tomorrow.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left, by Nadin Abbott, view from Barrett Junction east toward Potrero

August 31, 2022 (San Diego’s East County)—The #BorderFire32 has swelled to 1,600 acres since starting this afternoon near State Route 94 and Barrett Lake Road near Dulzura. 

The fire is burning eastward, with zero containment, and has crossed State Route 94 on the eastern portion of the fire.  Structures are threatened, at least one has burned, and more than 400 homes have been ordered to evacuate tonight  as the fire burns at a critical speed. Mandatory evacuation areas include much of Potrero, Barrett Junction, Dulzura and Tecate.

State Route 94 is closed all the way from Otay Lakes Rd. in Dulzura to Forrest Gate Rd. in Campo.  The Tecate border crossing is also shut down.

Source:  County of San Diego

April 6, 2022 (Potrero) - The County of San Diego, Department of Environmental Health and Quality (DEHQ) has issued a Boil Water Order for the Potrero County Park water system located at 25800 Potrero Park Drive, Potrero, CA 91963, effective immediately. The water system supplies water to 37 service connections including the office, ranger residence, 32 recreational vehicle spaces and 3 public restrooms with an average daily population of 100 persons. 

Update 5:15 p.m. -- Power has been restored to all customers, according to the SDG&E website.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Fran Materra, via Facebook: Thanksgiving by lanternlight in Potrero

November 26, 2021 (San Diego’s East County) – An estimated 2,520 SDG&E customers remain in the dark on Black Friday due to power-shut offs amid a red flag warning for high fire danger. About half the communities originally blacked out have power restored, but these areas remain without power:  Alpine, Boulevard, the Campo reservation, Descanso, Jamul, Potrero, the Viejas Reservation, and Warner Springs.

More than 50,000 customers remain at risk of outages yet to come.  View the list of communities at risk at https://www.sdge.com/psps-dashboard. SDG&E has set up community resource centers where residents without power can go to recharge devices, pickup ice, water, snacks and more. Find the closest CRC at SDG&E’s CRC look-up tool.

East County residents posted comments and complaints on social media regarding the outages. While some railed against SDG&E for cutting power on a holiday, others pre-cooked foods early, grateful for the warnings.  Others dined out at restaurants, brought in hot meals, or headed to relatives homes’ outside the blacked-out areas. Some also voiced thanks that no homes were lost to wildfires.

By Miriam Raftery

September 17, 2020 (San Diego’s East County) – Community clean-up events are slated in three backcountry communities for residents to bring e-waste, furniture, box springs, appliances, mattress and other oversized trash (but no construction waste) from 8 a.m. until dumpsters are full. Chipping of green waste will also be available from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m.  The events are scheduled for:

CAMPO:  Sept. 19 at Homemaker’s Thrift Shop, 987 Custer Rd.

JACUMBA: Oct. 17 at Jacumba Community Park, 44605 Old Highway 80

POTRERO: Nov. 21 at Potrero Community Park, 24800 Potrero Park Dr.

By Miriam Raftery

September 1, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) – Epiphany “Epie” Lopez of Potrero, best known for his portrayal of bandito Cruz Lopez in the Gaskill Brothers Gunfighters, passed away on August 22, 2019 at age 71.

Born January 8, 1948, he was related to the Machados, one of the first families in Old Town, San Diego, though not to Cruz Lopez.  “My family has been in San Diego since 1769,” he once stated. 

Learn what firefighters know about protecting homes and communities from wildfire

East County News Service

August 29, 2018 (Potrero) - The Fire Safe Council of San Diego County is taking fire safety training to local communities that are at high-risk for wildfires. Some of the most vulnerable areas are those in the Wildland Urban Interface, or WUI, which is defined as residential areas that abut to open space. The next workshop, called Fire Operations in the Wildland Urban Interface, will be in Potrero on Saturday, September 8, 2018.