Update 5:05 p.m.-- The #Border2Fire is now 248 acres and still 0% contained. Winds have shifted toward campgrounds with campers at Pio Pico told to evacuate and Thousand Trails campers receiving a warning to be prepared, per social media posts from campers at these sites.

update 4 p.m.-- The fire is now 148 acres per Watch Duty app and is large enough to be visible from space. (Photo, right, via NASA)

Update 3:45 p.m.-- The fire is now 50 acres and 0% contained, per Cal Fire.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo  by Barry Jantz: Border 2 Fire viewed from Jamul, with Jamul Casino in foreground.

January 23, 2025 (San Diego's East County) -- The #Border2Fire that started within the hour on Otay Mountain is now 20 acres and burning at a "dangerous" rate of spread, per Watch Duty App. Cal Fire lists the size as 10 acres with potential for 200 acres.

The fire started near Otay Truck Trail in the Otay WIlderness area.  Infrastructure on the mountain is threatened, per Watch Duty App.

By Wendy Fry, CalMatters

CalMatters is a public interest journalism venture committed to explaining how California’s state Capitol works and why it matters

Photo:  Saul Muñoz, 53, waits for any job opportunities in front of a Home Depot in San Diego on Jan. 20, 2025. Photo by Adriana Heldiz, CalMatters

January 23, 2025 (San Diego) - Undocumented immigrants and their California families braced for the worst — and many told CalMatters they would go underground — as newly sworn-in President Donald Trump began issuing executive orders to enable what he promises will be the most massive deportation in U.S. history. 

“A society is always eager to cover misdeeds with a cloak of forgetfulness, but no society can fully repress an ugly past when the ravages persist to the public. America owes a debt of justice which it has only begun to pay.” – Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo:  Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. during a press conference in 1964; public domain image via Wikipedia

January 22, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – While the nation honored slain civil rights leader Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, President Donald Trump ironically issued sweeping executive orders to revoke not only Biden-era diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) guidelines for all federal agencies, but also roll back actions to protect minorities dating back to the 1960s, such as affirmative action, USA Today reports.

The actions drew swift condemnation from Bernice King, MLK’s daughter.  She posted on social media, “This is what my father described in his book, ‘Where Do We Go From Here: Chaos or Community?’, as #WhiteBacklash. That’s when any work and progress in the areas of racial justice and equity are met with assertions that no change is needed; with insistence that programs purposed for preventing pervasive, historically anti-Black policies and practices are harmful and unneeded; and with lies and distortion to convince people to curtail the work and progress.”

She noted that her father’s “dream encompassed eradicating racism, including in healthcare, policing, banking, and education,adding,”We have not done that. So don’t attribute canceling #DEI to wanting to honor #MLK.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Hours after being sworn into office in the Capitol Rotunda, President Donald Trump issued a sweeping executive order protecting all of the nearly 1,600 people accused or convicted of crimes stemming from the Capitol attack four years earlier.  On January 6, 2021, the violent mob assaulted and injured 140 police officers, forcing terrified lawmakers to flee or hide while the mob tried to halt the peaceful transfer of power.

Trump’s order issued a blanket pardon for nearly all of the insurrectionists, erasing their felony records and freeing all who were serving prison sentences, even those convicted of attacking police officers or armed with weapons including firearms, stun guns, flagpoles, fire extinguishers, bike racks, batons, a metal whip, office furniture, pepper spray, bear spray, a tomahawk ax, a hatchet, a hockey stick, knuckle gloves, a baseball bat, a massive “Trump” billboard, “Trump” flags, a pitchfork, pieces of lumber, crutches and even an explosive device.

 In addition, he commuted sentences for 14 members of the Oath Keepers and Proud Boys, who were convicted of seditious conspiracy, including the groups’ leaders,  Stewart Rhodes and Enrique Tarrio, who were serving 18- and 22- year sentences for their roles in organizing the attacks. Both men are now free.

Trump also directed his Attorney General to drop all remaining charges against individuals accused of crimes related to the January 6 Capitol attack, but whose cases had not yet gone to trial.

By Miriam Raftery

January 21, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – Among the dozens of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump yesterday after his inauguration is a notice to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO).  Under a 1948 law, withdrawal requires one-year notification and Congressional approval, Associated Press (AP) reports. 

If completed, withdrawal by the U.S., a founding partner of WHO, would drop one-fifth of WHO’s funding and prevent the U.S. and the American medical community from accessing vital health resources and data.

Trump previously tried to withdraw from  WHO in 2019, but President Biden rejoined the organization after his election before the waiting period ended. In July 2020, amid the pandemic, a joint statement by the American Medical Association and three other medical organizations representing pediatricians, family physicians and other doctors strongly opposed Trump’s withdrawal order, calling it “dangerous.”

By Miriam Raftery

January 20, 2025 (San Diego’s East County) – Cal Fresh is offering up to one month of benefits to replce food lost due to a power outage or natural disaster—but you must apply within 10 days of food loss.

 That news comes as welcome relief for residents in rural East County, where some have lost power multiple times recently due to planned public saety power outages by SDG&E to prevent wildfires, as well as from other causes.

You can qualify for replacement food cost benefits if you had food spoilage due to:

• A power outage lasted longer than four hours
• Utilities were shut off for any reason
• A freezer or refrigerator stopped working

To apply, download a Replacement/Affidavit/Authoriization Form (CF-303) at https://SDHunger.org/replacement-calfresh . More details below.

Update 4 p.m.:  Forward spread has been stopped and fixed-wing aircraft dismissed, though helicopters remain on scene.

East County News Service

January 20, 2025 (Poway) – Structures are immediately threatened by a brush fire in Poway.  The #TedWilliamsFire is burning along Ted Williams Parkway and Pomerado Road. 

Evacuations are being conducted near Glen Oak Road, Watch Duty App reports. Evacuation details: www.AlertSD.org.

The blaze has charred three acres thus far and comes amid a Red Flag Alert due to dry conditions and potential for very high winds.

Source: SDG&E

January 20, 2025 (San Diego)  – Due to extreme fire weather conditions and forecasted Santa Ana winds, San Diego Gas & Electric Company (SDG&E) has notified 83,609 customers that it may have to turn off power to reduce wildfire risk as early as late today. Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) are approved by state regulators as a safety tool of last resort to mitigate fire risk during dangerous weather conditions.

As a result of dry conditions and expected Santa Ana windsup to 60 miles per hour locally, the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning and High Wind Warning for parts of Orange and San Diego Counties beginning Monday morning through late Tuesday night.

SDG&E has activated its Emergency Operations Center and staffed it with key personnel to monitor weather conditions throughout the duration of the event, especially the wind speeds in the high fire risk areas of the county.

If SDG&E implements a PSPS for public safety, it will open Community Resource Centers to support impacted customers.

By Miriam Raftery

January 19, 2025 (San Diego) – January’s freakish weather continues with both fire danger and frost forecast for this week.  The weather hazards line up for a potentially “worse case” scenario, the National Weather Service predicts.

A red flag warning has been issued for San Diego County’s inland mountains and valleys Monday and Tuesday due to low humidity and strong winds forecast.

Cold mornings will also bring frost in sheltered inland valleys west of the mountains.

Widespread wind gusts over 35 miles per hour are expected, with a high potential for gusts up to 60 miles per hour in the mountain areas Monday and Tuesday.

Council asks  staff to revise resolution, which will be on the agenda January 28

By Miriam Raftery

"I see this as disrespectful from you, the Council, the Mayor and the attorneys...This is going to create a lot of distrust in the community.” -- Jose  Cruz, photo, left

"It's about following the law.  California is asking us to ignore federal law."--Mayor Bill Wells, photo, right

January 17, 2025 (El Cajon) – In emotional testimony, leaders of the Latino community and others pleaded with El Cajon City Council members on January 14 to reject a resolution proposed by Mayor Bill Wells aimed at maximizing the city’s cooperation with federal immigration authorities. With President-Elect Donald Trump’s announced mass deportation intent, which Trump has said could include all undocumented immigrants in the U.S., many speakers voiced fears over potential discrimination by police against people of color, as well as fears that even long-term immigrants and children who have committed no crimes could be rounded up for deportation. 

Trump has also said he wants to deport some special protection status immigrants who came here legally, such as Haitians; others with TPS status include Afghans and Iraqis who helped the U.S. military, Ukrainian refugees, and others.

By Brooke Binkowski, Times of San Diego, a member of the San Diego Online News Association

Photo:  County Supervisor Jim Desmond delivering his State of North County speech in June. (File photo courtesy of Desmond’s office)

January 16, 2025 (San Diego) - San Diego County Supervisor Jim Desmond announced that he will run for Congress.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left:  Gaza bombing by Israel, WAFA for news agency APA, creative commons via WIkiPalestine

January 15, 2025 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden today announced, “After many months of intensive diplomacy by the United States, along with Egypt and Qatar, Israel and Hamas have reached a ceasefire and hostage deal.”

The deal is slated to halt fighting in Gaza, surge humanitarian aide to Palestinian civilians, and return hostages taken by Hamas during its October 7, 2023 attack in Israel, in exchange for the release of Palestinian prisoners.

By Miriam Raftery

Photos by Lakeside Fire Department, which has sent firefighters to battle the Palisades wildfire

January 11, 2025 (Los Angeles) – After days of massive destruction and widespread evacuations, firefighters are finally making progress on four remaining wildfires in the Los Angeles area.  At least 13 people have died in the fires, which have destroyed an estimated12,000 structures, the Los Angeles Times reports.

At least 90 firefighters from San Diego County have been dispatched to help fight the L.A. fires, including Lakeside Fire Department, which posted photos on social media of the Palisades Fire that their firefighters have been battling since Wednesday. Hundreds of thousands remain evacuated, as firefighters slowly make progress toward controlling fires fueled initially by hurricane-force winds.

Here are the latest updates from Cal Fire and L.A.-based news outlets:

By Tracy DeFore, County of San Diego Communications Office

January 10, 2025 (San Diego) - The County’s Citizens Law Enforcement Review Board is taking applications to fill an opening on its board.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo by Henri Migala: Palisades Fire in Los Angeles

January 9, 2025 (Los Angeles) – Over 179,000 people are under evacuation orders as massive fires continue to burn across Los Angeles County, with no containment as yet on the worst conflagrations.  Fire officials’ estimates of homes lost range from several hundred to over 1,000, and at least five people have died.

The Palisades Fire has scorched over 1,700 acres, burning all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  Videos posted online show massive destruction of homes along Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. Most of Pacific Palisades has been destroyed, with evacuations as far away as Santa Monica. It remains 0% contained.  Low water pressure left some hydrants without water and high winds have restricted firefighting aircraft, leaving the blaze to burn out of control in its crucial early hours, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The Eaton Fire has charred over 10,000 acres in Pasadena and Altadena.  It is 0% contained; this is the fire in which five people are confirmed dead, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills also forced evacuations. It has burned 42.8 acres and is 0% contained, per the Watch Duty App.