Update 12:46 p.m. per CAL FIRE San Diego County Fire: #GroveFire [update] the fire is now 900 acres and 10% contained. The cause has been determined to be lightning. Read the latest in Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association.

Update 8:38 a.m. 7/25 from Sekhar Padmanabhan a Staff Reporter on Watch Duty app: Evacuation order downgraded to a warning for zone SDC-0075. Fire holding at 816 acres.

Photo, right by Chet Kalinowski

Update 7:42 p.m. 7/24 from Liam Winstead: "FIRIS has mapped the fire at 816 acres. The permineter can be viewed by toggling on the Active Fire Perimeters layer on the Watch Duty map. Note that perimeters are preliminary and do not reflect any structure protection efforts by firefighters on the ground."

07/24/2024 07:14 PM PDT

Large Animal Shelter Opened at Ramona High School for Grove Fire

Per the San Diego Sheriff Department, residents impacted by the Grove Fire EVACUATION ORDERS with large animals can go to Ramona High School located at 1401 Hanson Lane, Ramona, CA 92065.

For those under an EVACUATION WARNING, always take into consideration that large animals take extra time to evacuate. It's best to leave now or prepare early so you are ready to go.

Follow @SDSheriff and @CALFIRESANDIEGO for updates.

For an interactive map with updated emergency information, visit: OES Emergency Map

Update 5 p.m.  Evacuation orders have been issued in the #Grove Fire, which is now 400 acres with potential for 2,000,  Find map and evacuation details at https://www.alertsandiego.org.  Evacuation center is at Warner Springs High.

Update: 4 p.m. the #GroveFire is now at 250-300 acres

Update: 3 p.m. the #GroveFire is now at 50 acres

By Jonathan Goetz and Miriam Raftery

Photos courtesy: Watch Duty app, San Diego Sheriff and East County Magazine

July 24, 2024 (Sunshine Summit) -- CAL-Fire is at scene of a vegetation #GroveFire in the area of Dodge Valley in the community of Sunshine Summit. The fire is 15 acres with a moderate rate of spread. Additional resources have been ordered, per CAL-Fire on X.

By Kristen Andelman

Photo:Jay Farrington testifiedto board on priorities for the Office of School Safety, which the GUHSD board majority later voted to eliminate.

July 18, 2024 (El Cajon) -- Grossmont Union High School District has ousted its School Safety Director Jay Farrington and eliminated the entire school safety department entirely, effective June 30. 

The action is shocking and particularly troubling in a district that survived two mass shootings at Santana and Granite Hills high schools back in 2001.The Santana shooting killed 2 students and injured 13 people; five people were shot and injured at Granite Hills. School shootings are at record levels nationwide today. So far this year, there have been 107 school shootings, killing 29 people and injuring 61.

The decision was made by the GUHSD board on May 11 in a in a 3-2 vote.  Board members Chris Fite and Elva Salinas voted against the cut, while members Robert Shield, Gary Woods and Jim Kelly voted to eliminate student safety.

By Jonathan Goetz and Miriam Raftery

July 17, 2024 (El Cajon) -- El Cajon’s Dinner and a Concert series continues each Friday night in August from 6 to 8 p.m. on the Prescott Promenade in downtown El Cajon.

The lineup features Stone Soul on August 2, Ronsatadt Revival on August 9: Ronstadt Revival, Trey Hill Band on August 16: The Heroes August 23, and on August 30, Billy Nation.