New wildfires prompt evacuations near San Diego amid relentless Santa Ana winds
Multiple wildfires broke out in San Diego County early Tuesday, prompting evacuation orders, school closures and power shutoffs, while officials in Los Angeles remained on high alert amid strong winds and relentlessly dry conditions.
Crews responded to three small brush fires overnight in northern San Diego County. The Lilac Fire, the largest of the blazes, grew to 80 acres and triggered evacuations in Bonsall, a small community about 45 minutes north of San Diego. The fire has displaced 86 residents and damaged two structures, officials said. It was 10% contained by 8 a.m. Pacific Time.
The Pala Fire, north of the city of Pala Mesa, has burned 17 acres of land. Firefighters managed to stop the forward progress of the blaze, which initially triggered evacuation orders that have since been lifted, officials said. Another brush fire, dubbed the Riverview Fire, burned only one acre of land before firefighters contained it.
The origins of the blazes remain unknown. They erupted as hurricane-force winds blew across Southern California through the night and early morning, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service. A 102-mph wind gust was recorded in the San Diego mountains around 10 p.m. Monday.
Nearly half of the 97,000 power outages in California by late Tuesday morning were in the neighboring San Diego and Riverside counties.
In Los Angeles County, firefighters made progress against two deadly wildfires that destroyed over 15,000 structures and killed at least 27 people. The region remained under red flag warnings, worrying officials that the Palisades and Eaton fires may spread or additional blazes could ignite.
Firefighters make gains on Lilac Fire in San Diego County
Authorities in San Diego County have gained a foothold in the battle against the Lilac Fire that triggered a flurry of evacuations, power outages and school closures on Tuesday. Officials said by around 10 a.m. PT its forward rate of spread had been stopped.
"Firefighters are making good progress on the fire," read an incident update from Cal Fire. "The fire activity has decreased significantly."
Containment of the fire was up to 10% by 8 a.m. local time, about seven hours after it was first reported.
"Two of the three fires that started overnight are now under control. However, the Lilac Fire is still actively burning at 80 acres," Jim Desmond, a San Diego County supervisor, wrote in a social media post. "Please stay alert, follow official updates, and be prepared to leave if necessary. Our first responders are working tirelessly to protect lives and property."
San Diego County school closures amid wildfires
Multiple school districts closed on Tuesday citing "high winds, fire danger, and power outages." Below is a list of the school districts that have shuttered, according to the San Diego County Office of Education.
Bonsall Unified School District
Julian Union Elementary School District
Julian Union High School District
Mountain Empire Unified School District
Spencer Valley School District
Warner Unified School District
Red flag warnings active across Southern California as blazes rage
Red flag warnings stretched down the coast of Southern California on Tuesday as weather officials warned of strong wind gusts that could rapidly spread fires and knock out power to homes and businesses. The dangerous fire weather is expected to linger until at least midweek because of the winds and low humidity, the NWS said.
In San Diego County, forecasters warned of winds of 30 to 40 mph with gusts up to 70 mph. In the mountains, winds could reach 80 to 90 mph, the weather service said.
"If fire ignition occurs, conditions are favorable for rapid fire spread and extreme fire behavior," a red flag warning from the weather service in San Diego said. The weather advisory was set to expire at 10 p.m. local time.
Forecasters said Santa Ana winds would continue blowing across Los Angeles and Ventura counties through Tuesday afternoon. The warnings urged residents to stay vigilant amid the strong winds and as humidity levels plummet into the single digits.
"THIS IS A PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS SITUATION," a warning from the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said. "POWERFUL DAMAGING WINDS EXPECTED!"
Latest on the Palisades and Eaton fires
The Palisades Fire was at 23,713 acres with 63% containment Tuesday morning, according to Cal Fire. The Eaton Fire had burned 14,021 acres and was at 89% containment.
"Firefighters are making steady progress, and officials are reassessing evacuation orders to ensure safe returns," read a Tuesday report on the Palisades Fire. "Crews are working with utility providers to repair infrastructure and address hazards like fallen trees and downed power lines. The public is reminded to stay vigilant on current fire conditions."
Cal Fire said firefighters were focusing on hot spots within the perimeter of the Eaton Fire as officials lifted evacuation orders in phases.
Additionally, resources were staged in the city of La Cañada, west of the blaze, "to respond to any new fire starts or fire activity within the current footprint," according to an operational update from Cal Fire.
Over 95K without power across Southern California
Tens of thousands of people woke up in the dark throughout Southern California as high winds and wildfires spurred power outages across the region.
In San Diego County, more than 17,000 homes and businesses were without power by 10:45 a.m. PT, according to PowerOutage.us. In Riverside County directly to the north, the blackouts affected nearly 29,000 utility customers.
Across Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties, about 35,000 homes and businesses were in the dark.
How powerful are the winds in Southern California?
Here are the highest wind gusts recorded across Southern California through Monday night, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service.
Sill Hill, San Diego County – 102 mph
Keen Ridge, Riverside County – 81 mph
Banning, Riverside County – 83 mph
Hauser Mountain, San Diego County – 77 mph
Chino Hills, Orange County – 71 mph
California State University, San Bernardino – 60 mph
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