Lilac Fire: 4,100 Acres Burned, Some Evacuations Lifted

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA – Firefighters continue to work to contain a wildfire that burned thousands of acres, destroyed dozens of structures and forced widespread evacuations in northern San Diego County.

The wind-driven Lilac Fire, which sparked Thursday, scorched 4,100 acres near Fallbrook and destroyed at least 65 structures but slowed overnight thanks to diminishing winds. As of Friday afternoon, the fire remained at 4,100 acres and was still 0 percent contained, according to Cal Fire.

The blaze sparked shortly before 11:30 a.m. at Old Highway 395 and Dulin Road in Bonsall, burning brush near Interstate 15 and State Route 76. The flames spread quickly after the fire started as gusty Santa Ana winds slammed the San Diego region.

UPDATE: Lilac Fire: 182 Structures Destroyed, 50 Percent Contained

Thousands of people were evacuated as the fire impacted the communities of Bonsall and Fallbrook, as well as the cities of Oceanside and Vista. More than 100,000 reverse 911 and evacuation notices were sent to residents, officials said.

At least six injuries have been reported, including a firefighter who dislocated a shoulder and another who was treated for smoke inhalation. Three civilians sustained burn injuries, while another suffered from smoke inhalation.

At least 25 horses were killed when the fire raced through the San Luis Rey Training Center in Bonsall.

Overnight, the fire crossed into Oceanside at Via Puerto del Sol near the Lago Grande Drive area at the city's eastern border. The fire was held at Precious Hills Road, but city officials warned residents that the fire could still spread due to weather conditions.

The county of San Diego declared a local state of emergency Thursday afternoon, making the region eligible for federal and state resources. Hours later, Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in the county.

President Donald Trump Friday declared a state of emergency in Southern California, ordering federal assistance to help fight a series of wildfires ravaging the region. Federal aid is earmarked for Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

"Our region is once again being tested in a big way," County Supervisor Dianne Jacob said during a press conference Friday, as she recalled the wildfires that devastated the San Diego region in the past.

"We were tested in 2003. We were tested in 2007," she said. "The good news about that is we have more resources available than we've ever had before – on the ground and in the air."

More than 1,000 firefighters continued to battle the blaze Friday.

Cal Fire worked alongside Oceanside, Vista and North County fire departments. More than 100 engines, 15 helicopters, two Marine helicopters, two Navy helicopters and seven air tankers were assigned to the fire.

"We're continuing to fight this fire from the air and from the ground," Cal Fire spokesman Kendal Bortisser said.

About 150 law enforcement personnel handled road closures and provided security for evacuated homes, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said.

"If you have evacuated your house, rest assured that there's law enforcement personnel taking care of your possessions while you're out of harm's way," Gore said.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation, officials said.

Watch: Newest California Fire Burns 65 Structures

Thousands of people remained without power in the county, after strong winds prompted San Diego Gas & Electric to shut off power as a precaution. As of 10 a.m. Friday, the utility company had cut power to more than 20,000 customers across the region, including in the areas impacted by the fire, county officials said.

According to SDG&E, the company considers emergency circumstances, temperature, humidity, wind speed measurements, field observations by SDG&E crews, and information from Cal Fire and other fire agencies when deciding whether to shut power off for safety reasons.

"SDG&E takes its responsibility to safely operate the electrical system very seriously," the company said in a statement. "If conditions threaten the integrity of the system, creating an emergency, SDG&E will turn off the power to protect the public."

The power could be out for several days before it can be safely restored, according to the company.

SDG&E advised residents to be aware of the potential for downed power lines due to strong winds. Residents were also reminded to never touch a downed power pole and assume that all electrical lines are energized at all times.

The Lilac Fire sparked as dangerous Santa Ana winds slammed the county and the rest of Southern California. Critical fire conditions prompted the National Weather Service to extend a red flag fire warning, now slated to expire Sunday night for the San Diego region.

"When a tornado hits the Midwest, there's no stopping it. When a hurricane hits the East Coast, there's no stopping it," Bortisser said. "When the Santa Ana winds come in, there's no stopping them."

Winds in the area of the Lilac Fire were blowing at 30 to 35 miles per hour Thursday afternoon, with wind gusts as strong as 51 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service. Although winds were expected to weaken Friday, the region will still experience fire weather conditions through the weekend.

"We're not out of the woods yet," Jacob said. "We need to stay vigilant and be prepared."

County officials hope to begin assessing damage Friday caused by the Lilac Fire. The assessment process will begin as soon as the burned areas are deemed safe, according to the county.

The county plans to open a local assistance center Monday to help navigate wildfire victims through the rebuilding and recovery process.

The center is slated to open at the Vista branch library at 700 Eucalyptus Ave. in Vista. Hours of operation have not yet been set.

Until then, county officials urged victims to go to fire shelters for short-term help finding recovery resources.

For help with the recovery process, email CountyFireRecovery@sdcounty.ca.gov or visit SDCountyRecovery.com.

County officials also reminded residents that price gouging is illegal during a disaster. People should report suspected price gouging to the San Diego County District Attorney's office at 619-531-3507.

Evacuation Orders

As of 5 p.m. Friday, Cal Fire announced that residents who live in portions of North County affected by the Lilac Fire can return home. An evacuation order covering parts of Fallbrook, Oceanside and Vista was downgraded to an evacuation warning, meaning that residents can return home in the areas listed below.

Officials advised residents to stay on high alert through the weekend as weather conditions can quickly shift.

• West of Wilshire Road to North River Road
• South of North River Road from Wilshire to Holly Lane
• South of Holly Lane from North River Road to Mission Road
• South of Little Gopher Canyon Road to Sagewood Road
• South of Dentro De Lomas at Nors Ranch Road
• Via Maria Elena South of Camino Del Rey
• Camino Del Rey South of Bobritt Lane
• Aquaduct Road South of Via Ulner Way
• North of Tumbleweed Lane between Sleeping Indian Road and Olive Hill Road
• South Mission north of Hellers Bend. Sunset Grove Road north of Via Encinos
• Alta Vista Drive north of Palomar Drive. Linda Vista Drive north of La Canada Road
• Knottwood Way north of Flowerwood Lane
• Gird Road north of Mary Lewis Drive
• Sage Road north of Brodea Lane

Residents can return home outside the blue perimeter:

Evacuation Shelters

Here is a list of open shelters:

• Bostonia Recreation Center, 1049 Bostonia St., El Cajon
• East Valley Community Center, 2245 East Valley Parkway, Escondido
• Palomar College, 1140 West Mission Road, San Marcos

The shelters at Oceanside High School and Stagecoach Community Park have reached capacity.

Small pets are being accepted at Bostonia Recreation Center, East Valley Community Center and Palomar College.

Large animals and livestock should be taken to the Del Mar Fairgrounds at 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. in Del Mar. As of Friday morning, more than 800 horses and other large animals have been evacuated to the site. The fairgrounds needs feed and bedding, animal medical supplies, exam gloves, blankets, halters and leads.

New Venture Christian Fellowship is also accepting evacuees and pets, according to the city of Carlsbad. The church is located at 4000 Mystra Drive in Oceanside.

Road Closures

Here is a list of road closures:

• State Route 76 is closed in both directions at North Santa Fe and Melrose eastward in Oceanside.
• Eastbound traffic on North River Road at Leon is closed in Oceanside. Westbound traffic is open for evacuees.
• State Route 78 remains open.

School Closures

A dozen school districts, nine charter schools, three colleges and universities, and other school sites operated by the San Diego County Office of Education were closed Friday because of fire, smoke and strong winds associated with the Lilac Fire.

The County Office of Education closed the North County Regional Education Center at 12:30 p.m. The center is located at 255 Pico Ave. in San Marcos.

Here is an alphabetical list of school closures:

• Bella Mente Montessori Academy (charter school)
• Bonsall Unified School District
• California State University San Marcos
• Carlsbad Unified School District
• Classical Academy and Classical Academy High School (charter schools)
• Coastal Academy (charter school)
• Epiphany Prep: Escondido campus (charter school)
• Escondido Charter High School (charter school)
• Fallbrook Union Elementary School District
• Fallbrook Union High School District
• Guajome Park Academy (charter school)
• Heritage K-8 Charter (charter school)
• Julian Union Elementary School District
• Julian Union High School District
• MiraCosta College
• Momentum Learning juvenile court and community schools: Youth Day Center, Breaking Cycles, Innovations Academy of Empowerment, North County Technology Academy
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• North County Academy (County Office of Education-operated school)
• North County Trade Tech High School (charter school)
• Oceanside Unified School District
• Palomar Community College District
• San Marcos Unified School District
• Spencer Valley School District
• Vista Unified School District
• Warner Unified School District

Other Closures

Other facilities were closed Friday in areas impacted by the fire.

Here is a list of other closures around the county:

• Legoland California closed the theme park in Carlsbad. Sea Life aquarium and Legoland Hotel remained open.
• County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency facilities:
  • North Coastal Family Resource Center, Aging and Independence Services, and Child Welfare Services at Union Plaza Court in Oceanside
  • North Coastal Public Health Center at 3609 Ocean Ranch Boulevard in Oceanside
  • Fallbrook Community Resource Center at 202 West College Street in Fallbrook
  • NOTE: The closest alternative location for these services is the North Inland Live Well Center at 649 West Mission Avenue in Escondido.
• Oceanside facilities:
  • El Corazon Senior Center
  • Brooks Street Pool
  • Melba Bishop Recreation Center
  • NOTE: Oceanside City Hall remains open.
• Carlsbad facilities:
  • City park athletic fields
  • Monroe Street Pool
  • Carlsbad Parks & Recreation tennis classes are canceled Friday.
  • NOTE: City facilities, libraries and Alga Norte Community Park Aquatic Center remain open.

Canceled Events

Some events were canceled around the county.

Here is a list of canceled events:

• Toys for Joy canceled its North County event at Vista High School. Organizers plan to reschedule the event. All other Toys for Joy events are still taking place Saturday.
• El Camino High School was scheduled to host Crenshaw High School of Los Angeles Friday in Oceanside. The game has been rescheduled for Saturday and moved to San Clemente High School.

ALSO SEE:

• Lilac Fire Burns Out Of Control In San Diego County
• San Diego County Under Red Flag Fire Warning Through Sunday
• Lilac Fire: Schools, Colleges Closed Friday In San Diego County
• SDG&E Shuts Off Power To Thousands In San Diego County
• Strong Santa Ana Winds Prompt 'Extreme' Fire Warning In San Diego
• Liberty Fire Day 2: No School, 7 Buildings Burn, Containment Info

Photo by Mark Ritter