Source:  CPUC

September 21, 2018 - The California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) will hold a public workshop in San Diego to examine existing emergency coordination and communication efforts by electric and water utilities with local and state government agencies and other stakeholders, and consider the need for new rules and regulations.

By Miriam Raftery

September 18, 2018 (Lakeside) – Five candidates are running for the Lakeside Fire Protection District Board.  Three are incumbents:   Robert Robeson, a retired Cal Fire assistant chief, Mike Haworth, a retired fire division chief, Peter Liebig, a retired firefighter/paramedic. Two are challengers:  fire captain Tim Robles and volunteer emergency responder Ron Kasper.

East County Magazine sent questionnaires to all five, and three responded (Robeson, Haworth and Kasper).   Below are their responses (published in the order received), plus links to their ballot statements.

By Jo Moreland, Alpine-Mountain Empire Chamber of Commerce

September 13, 2018 (Alpine) - As a result of Alpine’s West Fire, a local organization to help provide tax-deductible donations for local causes is now a significant one for fire survivors. Thanks to generous people, businesses and organizations, donations for West Fire survivors are being made available for distribution through the Alpine Community Foundation.

Battle to save the county's last volunteer fire district now hinges on a protest process that could give voters the final say

By Paul Kruze, Contributing Editor

Miriam Raftery, Editor, also contributed to this report.

 

Photo:  Battalion Chief Mike Van Bibber, Julian-Cuyamaca Fire Protection District

September 11, 2018 (Julian) -- A group of Julian area residents fighting fire axes-and-hoses against a county takeover of fire and medical first responder services won a firm victory last Thursday in Superior Court. Judge Timothy Taylor ruled to allow a ballot measure to fund future operations for the Julian Cuyamaca Fire Protection District (JCFPD).

Backers of the initiative hoped the ruling would curtail the County of San Diego’s efforts to terminate the JCFPD, the region’s last all-volunteer fire department, and shift fire and ambulance services to the County Fire Authority (CFA) in conjunction with Cal Fire.

But despite Judge Taylor’s ruling, yesterday the Local Agency Formation Commission (LAFCO) voted 7-0 to dissolve the district. Residents could still block the takeover through a protest process that’s now been triggered.  Determined opponents of the takeover are gearing up for the fight, arguing that eliminating volunteer firefighters who live in the community will make the area less safe, not safer has had been promised by the CFA.

Source: Lakeside Fire

September 7, 2018 (Lakeside) -- The Lakeside Fire District is hiring for both entry-level Firefighter-Paramedic and Reserve Firefighter. Check out this dramatic video (https://twitter.com/i/status/1038201517344468992) and visit http://lakesidefire.net  for more information.

Applications close on November 1, 2018 at 4:00 p.m.

East County News Service 

August 31, 2018 (Alpine) -- The Alpine Fire Survivors Fundraiser on Saturday, Sept. 8, in Alpine will provide entertainment while raising money for people who need help after the recent West Fire. A car show, Kids Zone activities, blues band Chet and the Committee, food for sale, an opportunity drawing, vendors and more are scheduled from 2 -7 p.m. at the American Legion Post at 3328 Alpine Blvd.  

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.

By Miriam Raftery

August 19, 2018 (Alpine) – “Your life can change at the drop of dime,” Lisa Ford told a standing-room only crowd of more than 400 people packed the Alpine Community Center last night for a fundraiser to help survivors of the West Fire.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo from San Diego Fire Dept.: Metro Arson Strike Team investigates fire scene.

August 14, 2018 (San Pasqual Valley) – The Metro Arson Strike team has reversed an earlier announcement and now believes yesterday's Cloverdale Fire in the San Pasqual Valley was not caused by arson, but instead by a rimless tire that threw off sparks, causing multilple ignition points, the San Diego Union-Tribune reports.

This is the third fire to occur in the San Pasqual area in the past couple of weeks, though authorities have not yet announced causes of the earlier San Pasqual and Rangeland fires, which burned 240 and 250 acres respectively.

The Cloverdale Fire, under unified command of Cal Fire and San Diego Fire Department, started mid-afternoon and quickly scorched 100 acres. Today it is 65% contained and evacuations have been lifted.

By Yvette Urrea Moe, County of San Diego Communications Office

Photo via WikimediaImages/Pixabay

August 12, 2018 (San Diego's East County) - Fire investigators recently announced that the cause of the deadly Carr fire in Redding was a flat tire on a trailer. When the rim scraped the concrete roadway, it sparked a fire.

Update 7:30 p.m: The Rangeland Fire is 250 acres and 60%  contained. A firefighter has suffered minor injuries. Units will remain on scene through tomorrow. SDG&E's air crane has been assisting in battling the blaze (photo).

August 9, 2018 (Ramona)-- The Rangeland Fire in Ramona has burned approxiamtely 150 acres near highway 78 and Rangeland Road. The blaze, which began mid-afternoon with structures threatened.

The fire is 30 percent contained and forward spead has been halted, Cal Fire reports.

East County News Service

August 6, 2018 (San Diego’s East County) – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag alert in effect from 4 p.m. today through 9 p.m. Tuesday for all of San Diego County and much of Southern California. 

“.If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable   for very rapid fire spread including long range spotting, and  extreme fire behavior which would threaten life and property,” the NWS warns.

Those conditions include strong winds, dry fuels and hot, dry weather. Triple digit heat is forecast inland.

Update July 28, 2018:  The fire is now 365 acres and 40% contained, Cal Fire reports. 

Update 9 p.m.:  All evacuation warnings have been lifted for the area affected by the Pasqual Fire. All remaining evacuation orders are still in effect. Evacuees needing Red Cross assistance, call 858-309-1200, County Emergency Services reports.

Update 8 p.m.:  Forward spread of the fire has been stopped.  Repopulation plans for evacuees are now being discussed, per Cal Fire.

By Miriam Raftery

July 27, 2018 (San Pasqual) – The #SanPasqualFire has burned 240 aces in San Pasqual Valley and western Ramona and is currently 5% contained, according to Cal Fire’s incident page: http://www.fire.ca.gov/current_incidents/incidentdetails/Index/2177 /.  The fire is burning in a southeast direction, prompting evacuations. Evacuees are advised to go to Ramona High School.

The blaze which started this afternoon along San Pasqual Valley Road has shut down highway 78 from Bandy Canyon to Haverford. Evacuations are ordered on Rangeland Rd, Oak Grove Rd, Highland Hills Dr, Horizon View, Rio Maggiore Dr, Cinque Terre Dr, Corniglia Dr, Via Cuesta, and Via Vista Grande.

Companies say measures are needed to prevent bankruptcies, but Ramona group says the bills would increase risks of wildfires by axing incentives for utilities to improve safety

By Miriam Raftery

July 26, 2018 (Ramona) – Utilities are lobbying legislators to approve a pair of bills being pushed by Governor Jerry Brown in the wake of catastrophic fire storms  in Northern California linked to utility-owned lines and equipment.  Facing $10 billion in damages with reportedly only about $800,000 in insurance, PG&E has argued it could be pushed into bankruptcy without relief.  The utilities want to change California’s inverse condemnation laws, which hold utilities responsible for any fires caused by their lines. However, if a company is found to have safely operated its equipment, it can ask the California Public Utilities Commission to approve charging ratepayers for uninsured losses.

San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) tried that approach, but the CPUC refused to approve charging ratepayers for the company’s liabilities in the 2007 firestorms, finding that SDG&E did not follow all required safety procedures. Now the big utility companies want to eliminate inverse condemnation in relation to wildfires--a proposal that has backcountry residents sounding the alarm.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo of crash site, courtesy ECM news patner 10 news

July 25, 2018 (Julian) – Three people who died in a May 10^th crash of a flight school-owned plane at Volcan Mountain in Julian which sparked a brush fire have been identified by the County Medical Examiner’s office.

 The victims were Rongwei Zhang, 23, Qinyang Zuo, 28, and Zehe Zhang, 24.  All died of blunt force injuries and multiple thermal injuries; all deaths were ruled accidental and toxicology reports found no contributing factors.