Update August 16, 2012 8 a.m. - The fires are now 60% contained; acreage remains at 15,525. Moderate fire growth will continue today and a return to monsoonal flow will begin this morning, says Roxanne Provaznik with Cal Fire. Direct fireline tactics remain difficult due to terrain. Three firefighters have been injured; cost to suppress the fire is up to $3,870,000. Evacuations and road closures remain in effect.
Update Augusut 15, 2012 9 p.m. -- Fires have scorned 15,525 acre and are 35% contained. The two largest blazes are the Wilson Fire (8,000 acres and 50% contained) and the Stewart Fire (7,000 acres and 40% contained).
Story and photos by Nadin Abbott
August 15, 2012 (Ranchita)-- The mood was tense as firefighters made a stand on Old Wilson Road and Montezuma Road this afternoon. Hand crews were about to do what Public Information Officer for Cal- Fire Tom Piranio called "burning the fuel back to the main fire."
August 16, 2012 (Sacramento)0Due to the menace of wildfires and their potential to destroy life, property, and natural resources, as well as predicted fire weather and other factors, and utilizing the authority vested in me by Section 4423.1 of the Public Resources Code, I hereby proclaim:
Note: organizers assure that the fires are nowhere close to Julian, and burning away from the town.
August 16, 2012 (Juian) – The San Diego Astronomy Association (SDAA) and the town of Julian bring Starfest to Menghini Winery, 1150 Julian Orchards Lane, Julian, August 16 – 19.
The three day event will include numerous speakers, vendors, a Swap Meet and food. The stars will be the highlight come nightfall and telescopes will be set up throughout the viewing area.
By Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine’s in-house Fire Chief
August 16, 2012 (San Diego’s East County)--Below is a checklist of documents that are commonly lost in a fire. Under the type of document is the institution or agency to contact for a replacement. Do not forget to take any medications.
If you are asked to evacuate, please do so immediately… Don’t become part of the existing problem!
August 15, 2012 (Riverside)--The Buck Fire in Riverside County, meanwhile, has scorched 3,000 acres and is still only 5% contained.Two civilians and three firefighters suffered injuries in the Buck Fire, including one major injury to a civilian.
Dozens of homes have been evacuated and hundreds of firefighters are battling the blaze in the Aguanga area about 15 miles from the San Diego County Line.
August 15, 2012 (Alpine) -- In a collaborative effort to increase high school sports media coverage in the East County of San Diego, the Grossmont Union High School District, in cooperation with the San Diego Section of the CIF, has awarded the live sports broadcast rights to media entity MY 1079 FM. The station will provide live broadcasts of a "Game-of-the-Week" for the Grossmont District schools.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego) -- Up until presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Mitt Romney named Wisconsin Congressmember Paul Ryan as his running mate on August 10, the safe bet seemed to be that Romney was going to base his general-election strategy on “a referendum, not a choice.” For one thing, that’s Politics 101: as pioneering American political scientist V. O. Key said in the 1960’s, Americans vote on issues but “retrospectively and negatively.”
Aug. 15, 2012 (Miramar Naval Air Station) – Today, the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW) has been requested by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) to assist with the wildfires burning in eastern San Diego County."
August 14, 2012 (Ocotillo) – Like a mirage rippling across the desert, they came.
A caravan of vehicles rumbled into the Ocotillo Express wind construction site on Saturday, filled with area residents and tribal members from across the southwest prepared to form a blockade to halt the project that is destroying their community. They came from as far away as Yuma, Arizona, and Los Angeles to take a stand in the sand.
But on this sweltering August morning, the bulldozers were silent—and the protesters claimed victory.
August 15, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Firefighters have achieved 15% containment of the Vallecito Lightning Complex.Firefighting costs havetopped $2 million.A threat continues to exist to the 69KV electrical distribution lines in Grapevine Canyon that serve the communities of Borrego Springs, Warner Springs, and Ranchita. Mandatory evacuations remain in effect in Ranchita and San Felipe. No structures have been lost.
A fire information line has been set up at (619)590-3160.
Update 11:15 p.m. -- Scanner traffic indicates fire jumped Grapevine Canyon. S-2 is closed. A new evacuation site for large animals for Ranchita residents is established at Creek Hollow Ranch in Ramona, 25279 Creek Hollow Drive, per the County emergency website. (Love Ranch, named in an earlier post, is NOT being used for large animal evacuations.)
By Miriam Raftery
August 14, 2012 (San Diego's East County) 9 p.m. -- Multiple fires in the Vallecito Lightning Complex have scorched 5,925 acres, with only 10% contained, Cal Fire's Roxanne Provaznik reports. Firefighters have 22.7 miles of containment line to construct.
August 14, 2012 (La Mesa) – O’Dunn Fine Art is showing a select group of paintings from 20th Century postwar America on August 17 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the gallery, 8325 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. The event features fresh-to-the-market pieces by modernist Gideon Sandelin and works by listed artists Ilya Bolotowsky, William Joseph Rakocy and Ray Vinella. Sandelin’s son, Raul, will be on hand to talk about his father’s art and paintings.
Sandelin’s son, Raul, will be on hand to talk about his father’s art and paintings.
This hosted event is open to the public. Visit www.odunnfineart.com for more information.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego) – Peter Sprague, a critically acclaimed jazz guitarist, will perform August 19 at the Visitor Center theater at Mission Trails Regional Park, 1 Fr. Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego. The concert will begin at 3 p.m.
Sprague is a composer, musical arranger and musical transcriber as well as a sound recording engineer and music producer. Visit his website at http://petersprague.com/.
August 14, 2012 (Alpine) – In response to the alarming teen fatality trend the Alpine Sheriff’s Station is hosting “Start Smart” for parents and teens (ages 15- 20) on August 23 at 7 p.m. at the Viejas Training Center, 5000 Willows Road, Alpine. The goal of the program is to reduce the number teen driving related injuries due to drunk and distracted driving.
The Rural Project launches its first quarter theme "Making a Difference in Rural America" on August 1.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego) – The Rural Project invites photos and essays that best capture the theme of “Making a Difference in Rural America”. The top prize is $1,000 cash each Quarter. The Rural Project is designed to bring light and attention to a segment of the population that often gets lost in the bigger city news.
August 14, 2012 (Escondido) – The fire season has started and it’s important to be prepared. Waterwise Botanicals, 32183 Old Highway 395, Escondido is offering a free seminar on August 25 on “Fire Safe Landscaping with Succulents”. The seminar will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and will be held outdoors.
August 14, 2012 (El Cajon) – The San Diego River Park Foundation has succeeded in acquiring 157 acres on scenic “El Capitan” (El Cajon) Mountain in Lakeside’s El Monte Valley, a designated county scenic view corridor. The victory is sweet for preservationists, since a portion of the mountain has been marred by Sunrise Powerlink and this will protect much of what’s left for future generations. It’s nicknamed El Capitan for its resemblance to the landmark in Yosemite Valley.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – San Diego Sheriff’s ASTREA helicopter rescued a woman, 28, suffering from heat exhaustion near Three Sisters Falls at 4 p.m. today.
Sgt. Mark Johnson and Deputy Warren Voth found the distressed hiker about halfway down the trail from the trailhead parking area. The helicopter landed and Deputy Voth hiked down the trail to the victim.
Pattern has created an “imminent harm to public safety”, suit alleges
By Miriam Raftery
August 14, 2012 (Ocotillo) – The U.S. District Court in San Diego will hear a case filed by a group of Ocotillo residents, Community Advocates for Renewable Energy Stewardship [CARES] requesting a temporary restraining order to shut down construction on Pattern Energy’s Ocotillo Express wind project.
According to the suit, a Pattern Energy employee filed a declaration revealing that Pattern never engineered or submitted final grading plans. The wind developer claimed “very little actual grading” while in fact grading 149 acres of underground trenches, 286 acrsd of turbine pads and 42 miles of roads, some three times as wide as the project approvals allowed.
Plaintiffs allege that Pattern and the Bureau of Land Management “have created an imminent harm to public safety by approving the installation of the cheapest and weakest type of wind turbine foundation…without geotechnical or structural engineering to ensure compliance with State and Federal standards.”
August 13, 2012 (San Diego) -- Veteran and associate members of the San Diego Veterans For Peace will be launching a protest on Thursday, August 16 from 4-6 p.m.
San Diego County will unnecessarily lose hundreds of homes to wildfires this fall: An open letter to Cities' Councilmen, Supervisors, local State legislators, and activist groups
By John Scanlon
August 13, 2012 (San Diego)-- The Problem – We are past due for a repeat of the major fires in 2003 and 2007. There is an abundance of fuel in the back country after five years w/o a major fire. We are now in a very active fire season. July was the hottest it has been in the lower 48 since 1895. We continue to be grossly underfunded and under-prepared at all levels to handle another catastrophic fire season.
Update 5:30 p.m. - Evacuations are now mandatory due to spread of the Wilson Fire toward Ranchita. Reverse 911 calls have been made to 228 homes. An evacuation center has been set up by the Red Cross at Warner Springs High School, 30951 Highway 79. A large animal evacuation station has been established at Love Acre Ranch, 35490 Highway 79, Warner springs.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) – Deerhorn Valley Antler reports that SDG&E fire mitigation grants will be available to those who lost homes in the 2007 fire after all. The utility had previously indicated that homeowners who had not rebuilt and are not living onsite cannot obtain funds.
While her remarks are tailored to Deerhorn Valley residents, Editor Kim Hamilton provides additional insights and updates of interest to many living along the Sunrise Powerlink. Here is her post:
August 14, 2012 (Spring Valley)- ECM recently visited a food distribution center at New Seasons church in Spring Valley that partners with Feeding America. Angela Kretschmar, who is in charge of the event at this distribution site, said that they have a food distribution center here because “this a home church that supports nonprofit.” Even Liz Landa from Feeding America came out to support this event.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego’s East County) -- Daren Sefcik photographed our own East County light show—the Perseid Meteor Shower illuminating the night sky above Blair Valley on August 11.
August 14, 2012 (Sacramento) —Assemblymember Marty Block (AD-78) today introduced Assembly Joint Resolution 46 urging the President and Congress to adopt an alternative spending plan to sequestration – automatic federal budget cuts of $1.2 trillion over 10 years scheduled to begin January 2013 because Congress has not achieved its budget targets.
“This measure is a plea to Congress for reason before it places the federal budget on automatic pilot, causing additional economic uncertainty and job loss in the San Diego region and across the nation,” Block said. “Congress would strike another body blow to our economic recovery if it allows sequestration to occur.”
August 14, 2012 (Boulevard)--Yep! Curious is my middle name. Some are curious about how to make things themselves, like woodworking, gardening, or handcrafts. Some are curious about how made stuff works, like mechanical, electrical, or electronics. Some are curious about bodies, like health practioners, or minds, like psychologists and psychiatrists. My own curiosity seems to be about seemingly random concepts and actions.
Story and photos by Nadin Abbott
By Chief Ken Mimlott, Director of CAL FIRE
August 16, 2012 (Juian) – The San Diego Astronomy Association (SDAA) and the town of Julian bring Starfest to Menghini Winery, 1150 Julian Orchards Lane, Julian, August 16 – 19. 
By Sam DiGiovanna, East County Magazine’s in-house Fire Chief
By Brian Lafferty
August 15, 2012 (Alpine) -- In a collaborative effort to increase high school sports media coverage in the East County of San Diego, the Grossmont Union High School District, in cooperation with the San Diego Section of the CIF, has awarded the live sports broadcast rights to media entity MY 1079 FM. The station will provide live broadcasts of a "Game-of-the-Week" for the Grossmont District schools.
from across the southwest prepared to form a blockade to halt the project that is destroying their community. 
By Miriam Raftery
August 14, 2012 (La Mesa) – O’Dunn Fine Art is showing a select group of paintings from 20th Century postwar America on August 17 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the gallery, 8325 La Mesa Blvd., La Mesa. The event features fresh-to-the-market pieces by modernist Gideon Sandelin and works by listed artists Ilya Bolotowsky, William Joseph Rakocy and Ray Vinella. Sandelin’s son, Raul, will be on hand to talk about his father’s art and paintings.
August 14, 2012 (San Diego) – Peter Sprague, a critically acclaimed jazz guitarist, will perform August 19 at the Visitor Center theater at Mission Trails Regional Park, 1 Fr. Junipero Serra Trail, San Diego. The concert will begin at 3 p.m.
August 14, 2012 (Alpine) – In response to the alarming teen fatality trend the Alpine Sheriff’s Station is hosting “Start Smart” for parents and teens (ages 15- 20) on August 23 at 7 p.m. at the Viejas Training Center, 5000 Willows Road, Alpine. The goal of the program is to reduce the number teen driving related injuries due to drunk and distracted driving.
The Rural Project launches its first quarter theme "Making a Difference in Rural America" on August 1.
August 14, 2012 (Escondido) – The fire season has started and it’s important to be prepared. Waterwise Botanicals, 32183 Old Highway 395, Escondido is offering a free seminar on August 25 on “Fire Safe Landscaping with Succulents”. The seminar will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and will be held outdoors.
August 14, 2012 (El Cajon) – The San Diego River Park Foundation has succeeded in acquiring 157 acres on scenic “El Capitan” (El Cajon) Mountain in Lakeside’s El Monte Valley, a designated county scenic view corridor. The victory is sweet for preservationists, since a portion of the mountain has been marred by Sunrise Powerlink and this will protect much of what’s left for future generations. It’s nicknamed El Capitan for its resemblance to the landmark in Yosemite Valley. 
By Miriam Raftery
August 13, 2012 (San Diego) -- Veteran and associate members of the San Diego Veterans For Peace will be launching a protest on Thursday, August 16 from 4-6 p.m.
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