Update 4 p.m.  The fire is now 2,000 acres and still 0 percent contained, per Cal Fire. New evacuation orders: South of Hwy 76 West of I-15 Freeway North of Gopher Canyon Rd, East of East Village Way & Mission Rd.

Update 3 p.m.:  Lilac Fire is now 500 acres and 0 percent contained. County Emergency Services warns of "dangerous fires" in North County. EW evacuation warnings are in effect: North of Pala Rd., South of Reche  Rd., West of I-15 Freeway, East of Green Canyon Rd. & W. Mission Rd.  Cal Fire is excercising its option to get military helicopters as well as San Diego Fire & Rescue night-flying helicopters.

For highway closure info check here:  https://www.sigalert.com/map.asp?lat=33.31155&lon=-117.34502&z=1

Three temporary evacaution shelters have been set up at Fallbrook High School, Pechanga Casino and Pala Casino. The Del Mar Fairgrounds is accepting large animals.

Update 1:30 p.m.  The Lilac Fire is now 175 acres, Cal Fire reports.  Two structures have been burned.

December 7, 2017 (Fallbrook) -- The Lilac Fire is burning in North County near the Interstate 15 and State Route 76 junction in the Fallbrook-Bonsall area.  Several southbound lanes on I-15 are shut down due to the fast-moving blaze fueled by 30-40 mph winds.

By Miriam Raftery

December 6, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – Tonight SDG&E has shut off power due many areas across East County and North County due to “an extreme weather event with high winds and dry conditions,” according to SDG&E’s website, which warns, “Current conditions indicate that power may remain out for several days before it can be safely restored. If your power is out, please be sure you have adequate emergency supplies on hand for an extended period of time and check here for the most current information on expected restoration times.”

The action comes just days after the California Public Utilities Commission ruled that SDG&E cannot bill ratepayers for its uninsured losses from the 2007 firestorms, when state regulators found its power lines responsible for three major fires.

Source: California Insurance Commissioner

December 6, 2017 (Sacramento) -- Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. and Wells Fargo Insurance, Inc., have been served with an accusation by the California Department of Insurance seeking to suspend or revoke its licenses for alleged improper insurance sales practices related to the company's online insurance referral program, which resulted in insurance products being purchased and paid for by consumers without their knowledge.

By Miriam Raftery

East County Wildfire and Emergency Alerts

December 6, 2017 (San Diego’s East County) – With wind gusts forecast up to 90 miles an hour in San Diego’s mountains and valleys, along with low humidity, the National Weather Service is warning of the potential for explosive wildfires.  A red flag warning has been extended to Saturday evening.

Adding to the danger, many firefighters statewide are deployed to fight major fires burning in Ventura, Los Angeles and San Bernadino Counties, so mutual aide resources could be stretched thin if major fires develop in San Diego County.

By Miriam Raftery

December 5, 2017 (San Diego) -- If a smart bag is on your gift list this holiday season, you’d better check twice before you go shopping. 

Multiple major airlines including American, Delta, Alaska, United, Continental and Southwest have announced plans to ban many smart luggage pieces due to the risk of explosions caused by lithium ion batteries, 10 News reports.

By Miriam Raftery

December 4, 2017 (Spring Valley) – San Diego Supervisors’ agenda for this Wednesday, December 6^th includes a public hearing on Sweetwater Place,  a 122-unit condominium project and public park proposed by MasterCraft Homes on 18 acres in Spring Valley.

The project site is on the land formerly occupied by Evergreen Nursery, north of Jamacha Blvd. at Sweetwater Springs Blvd in the Spring Valley Community Plan area. It aims to help fill the need for housing in the Spring Valley-Rancho San Diego area.

Lora Lowes, Chair of the Spring Valley Community Planning Group, (SVCPG) has sent a letter to Supervisors voicing concerns about the proposal, and urges the public to attend and speak at the meeting. Read her letter (in 2 parts) here and here.

Loss of deductions and undercutting Affordable Care Act could eliminate savings for many middle class and low-income families and individuals

By Miriam Raftery

December 4, 2017 (Washington D.C.) --By a narrow 51 to 49 vote, the Senate has approved a sweeping tax overhaul bill that marks the first significant legislative victory for President Donald Trump.  The Tax Cut and Jobs Act is broad, providing major long-term cuts for corporations and wealthy individuals plus short-term tax cuts for millions of other Americans.

But many of the savings for ordinary Americans will be negated, since the bill also takes away numerous tax deductions and eliminates a key provision of the Affordable Healthcare Act Act, meaning premiums will rise and many will lose healthcare, the Washington Post, Forbes and New York Times report. 

A Washington Post analysis finds that 62 percent of Americans will get a tax cut of at least $100 in 2019, but 38 percent will get no tax cuts. Less than half (44 percent) would have cuts of $500 or more—and most of those are wealthy, not middle class or low income families. By 2027, only 16 percent of individuals will still have tax cuts; 84 percent of Americans will have none.  But the cuts for corporations are permanent.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Smouldering remains of a mobile home park burned in the Tubbs Fire in October 2017;  CC by ATS

December 2, 2017 (Washington D.C.) – Yesterday, 53 members of Congress including all five San Diego-area representatives signed a letter sent to House Appropriations Committee leaders urging that $4.4 billion to aid California wildfire survivors be added to a disaster relief fund. 

The action comes after President Donald Trump previously ignored pleas from California legislators and Governor Jerry Brown, sending a measure to Congress that included funds for hurricane survivors in Texas and Florida, but not a penny to help those who lost homes, businesses or family members in the October California firestorms.

Upate December 4, 2017: The victim has been identified as Kenneth Owens, 76.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Lakeside Fire Chief Don Butz, on Facebook

December 1, 2017 (Lakeside) – A fire shortly after 4 a.m. this morning ruptured oxygen tanks, swiftly engulfing a home in the 9700 block of Emerald Hill Lane in Lakeside.  A 76-year-old man died in the fire after suffering second and third degree burns, but three other family members escaped, Patch.com reports. 

Fire crews from Lakeside, Santee, and Heartland Fire and Rescue responded to the fire, pulling out the victim who was declared dead at the scene, 10 News reports.  The blaze took a half hour to bring under control.

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

November 30, 2017 (Sacramento) - The people who run many of California's counties are speaking out against the tax bill that is about to go up for a vote in the U.S. Senate. They say they're worried it will eliminate important deductions and force local governments to cut services or raise taxes or fees to compensate.

“We will vigorously pursue all available avenues to overturn this decision.“ -- Lee Schavrien, SDG&E senior vice president and regulatory officer

      By Miriam Raftery

 November 30, 2017 (San Diego) – Ten years after the 2007 firestorms, the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) ruled today that San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) cannot charge ratepayers $379 million for the utility’s uninsured losses due to damages in the 2007 firestorms.  By a unanimous decision, the CPUC ruled that SDG&E did not reasonably manage and operate its equipment, which Cal Fire found caused or contributed to the Witch, Guejito and Rice fires.

By Miriam Raftery

November 29, 2017 (San Diego) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials have raised concerns among Asian communities after rounding up and detaining an estimated 200 Vietnamese and Cambodian immigrants in the Bay Area.

By Miriam Raftery

November 29, 2017 (Escondido) -- Libraries are vital sources of information for students, researchers, and the public.  But now, the city of Escondido has voted to privatize its public library on Kalmia Street by hiring Library Systems, a Maryland-based company, over the objections of the library’s trustees. The city claims it could save $400,000 a year through private operation of the library.

ECM's editor goes undercover to compare illicit pot shop to legally licensed dispensary

By Miriam Raftery

November 27, 2017 (El Cajon) – As cities grapple with how to regulate marijuana-based businesses, Outliers Collective, the county’s only legally licensed medical cannabis dispensary, provides evidence of advantages to licensing and regulating facilities, including product safety testing for consumers, security for employees, and avoiding problems caused by illegal pot shops such as crime, fire hazards, and products contaminated with pesticides.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: San Diego Sheriff via Twitter after Deputy Fischer visited KUSI with K-9 “Magic”

November 24, 2017 (San Diego) – San Diego County Sheriff’s Deputy Richard Fischer has been placed on administrative leave pending investigation of complaints filed by several women alleging sexual misconduct including sexual assaults.