Update October 2, 2011 6:45 p.m. --The Great Fire is 20 percent contained and holding at 2,000 acres. Currently there are 119 engines, 52 fire crews, eight bulldozers, and 21 water tenders at the scene, a total of 1,486 firefighters. Fire crews have four miles of containment line to construct; cost to fight the fire is estimated at $650,000, said Roxanne Provaznik at Cal-Fire. 

September 30, 2011 (Boulevard)—A brush fire started by lightning threatened homes this afternoon in Boulevard.

Update 4:45 p.m.  The Tierra del Sol fire is 40% contained at 3 acres. There has been structure damage, according to Cal Fire Captain Mike Mohler. Forward spread has been stopped.

Update 4:30 p.m.  Incident Page Network reports "many homes threatened."  CHP site indicates reverse 911 calls are being considered though no evacuations have yet been ordered.

September 21, 2011 (Boulevard) -- –Cal Fire resources will be conducting a small prescribed burn in the area of Mc Cain Conservation Camp north east of the Community of Boulevard. This burn is scheduled to take place in the early evening hours of September 22, 2011 between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m.

Update September 19, 2011, 6 p.m. -- This fire has been halted at 7 acres, Cal Fire Captain Mike Mohler confirms. No structures were damaged.

September 19, 2011 – 1:50 p.m. – ECM has received reports of at least 6 serious incidents across our region:

September 14, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Lightning strikes have ignited two small brush fires in Shelter Valley, between Julian and Borrego Springs, Cal Fire confirms.

September 9, 2011 (Spring Valley) 5:25 p.m. – A half-acre fire is burning in Spring Valley. According to Heartland dispatch, the fire began in the 8700 block of Central Way. Forward spread has been stopped. 

Another fire torched a quarter-acre along I-15 at Adams Avenue but was swiftly put out by San Diego Fire and Rescue a short time ago.

September 8, 2011 (Spring Valley) – 2:50 p.m. – A residential structure fire that started in a split level home at Grand and Eucalyptus has spread into adjacent brush, Heartland Fire Dispatch has just confirmed. Wildland fire air support is en route. Mutual aide firefighting units from Santee and La Mesa have also been called to the scene.

September 6, 2011 (Spring Valley)—Two fires briefly threatened homes this evening in Spring Valley. A careless cigarette has been blamed for one blaze, while the other appears to be natural in cause, according to Leonard Villareal, spokesman for the San Miguel Fire District.

August 31, 2011 (Pala) -- The Pala Fire is now 100% contained, Cal-Fire spokesperson Roxanne Provaznik confirms.

Total cost to fight the fire exceeded $1.8 million.  Total acreage burned is estimated at approximately 233 acres. The acreage has been down-sized from earlier estimates due to more accurate mapping, according to Cal Fire.

August 30, 2011 (Pala) - The Pala fire is 60% contained, with full containment expected today and complete control by tomorrow at 6 p.m. Thus far costs to fight the 300+ acre fire have exceeded $404,000, according to Cal-Fire spokesperson Roxanne Provaznik.

Update 11 p.m. – The Pala Fire is now 40% contained. A Red Cross Evacuation Center is set up at 12194 Pala Mission Road at the Jim Banks Sports Complex. Evacuation advisories have gone out to an additional 79 homes this evening within the following Thomas Bro. map pages/grids: page 999, grids G2 through G5, H2 through H5, J2 through J5 Page 409, D5 and E5 Total 79 numbers.

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.

By Miriam Raftery

August 23, 2011 (San Diego’s East County) – Rural homeowners will pay a fire parcel fee of $90 at most, and in many cases considerably less. Statewide, the total annual fire parcel fee will average just $30 under emergency regulations approved yesterday by the California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection.