FIRE NEAR BARRETT JUNCTION; SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING ISSUED, HIGH WINDS FORECAST

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Update 8:30 p.m. (Barrett Junction)--Fire is now 100 acres with forward spread stopped for "several hours" according to Cal-Fire. Firefighters will be doing mop up through the night. Deerhorn Valley Antler reports approximately half of acreage is BLM land other half Cleveland Forest. 250 firefighters, 7 engines, 11 crews, 6 air tankers, 6 helicopters, 1 dozer, 4 water tenders. Air support returning to stations.

 

Update 5:30 p.m.  Firefighters are accessing fire through the "Chicken Ranch" in Potrero, the Deerhorn Valley Antler reports. 

Update 2:50 p.m. The Barrett Lake fire is now 75 to 100 acres and 10 additional engines have been ordered, says Cal-Fire spokseperson Roxanne Provaznik. 

This fire is now listed on the Cal-Fire incident page, where you can check directly for updates here: http://cdfdata.fire.ca.gov/incidents/incidents_current  

 

2:45 p.m. -Cal Fire confirms fire is now 40 acres.  There are have 7 engines, 11 fire crews, 4 water tenders, 6 airtankers, 6 helicopters, 1 bulldozer, and 1 chief officer (250 firefighters) battling the blaze. Cal-Fire is being assisted U.S. Forest Service, and San Diego Sheriff's Department.

 

August 27, 2011 (Barrett Junction)—1:40 p.m. – A five-acre brush fire is burning approximately a quarter mile east of Barrett Lake, Cal Fire Captain Mike Mohler told ECM. “It will mostly be fought by aircraft due to the inaccessibility,” said Mohler, who confirmed that no homes are threatened. “They are accessing it off Highway 94 at Barrett Junction.”

 

The National Weather Service meanwhile warns of severe thunderstorm danger in much of rural East County, with lightning strikes, quarter-sized hailstones and 60 mph winds forecast.

 

 

Bill Thompson, manager at the Barrett Junction Café, said he can’t see smoke from the brush fire, but that several emergency vehicles have just entered the area, heading towards Tecate in the border area. “Two CDF trucks just headed east, from Dulzura,” he said. “Here comes a water truck heading up 94 east, and a bulldozer…They are heading up towards 188,” he added.
 

 

 

Wind is blowing from the southwest to northeast, according to Thompson. “It’s a pretty good breeze, 10 to 15 mph,” he said.
 

The National Weather Service “severe thunderstorm alert” is below. Details are as follows; for a map of the thunderstorm alert area see http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sgx/
 

* SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING FOR...
CENTRAL SAN DIEGO COUNTY IN SOUTHWEST CALIFORNIA...

* UNTIL 215 PM PDT

* AT 130 PM PDT...NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A
SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE OF PRODUCING QUARTER SIZE HAIL...AND
DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 60 MPH. THIS STORM WAS LOCATED NEAR
PINE VALLEY...OR 24 MILES NORTH OF TECATE...AND MOVING NORTH AT 10
MPH.

* THE SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WILL BE NEAR...
RURAL CENTRAL SAN DIEGO COUNTY AT 150 PM PDT

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

THIS IS A DANGEROUS STORM. IF YOU ARE IN ITS PATH...PREPARE
IMMEDIATELY FOR DAMAGING WINDS...DESTRUCTIVE HAIL...AND DEADLY CLOUD
TO GROUND LIGHTNING. PEOPLE OUTSIDE SHOULD MOVE TO A SHELTER...
PREFERABLY INSIDE A STRONG BUILDING BUT AWAY FROM WINDOWS.

 

 

 

 

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