Pala Fire Re-Ignites, Posing New Threat to Nearby Homeowners

PALA, CA: Brisk winds and summery warmth combined Friday to re-ignite the smoldering burn area of a 45-acre wildfire in the far northern reaches of San Diego County and once again forced people to flee their homes, three days after an initial round of evacuations.

Several small new fires broke out about 3:15 p.m. along the edges of the charred swaths of hilly terrain east of Interstate 15 and about a mile south of the Riverside County line, according to Cal Fire, which dispatched ground crews and firefighting aircraft to douse the flames.

Within two hours, about 25 additional acres had been blackened, said Cal Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser.

Sheriff's deputies cleared people out of dozens of homes in the nearby Rancho Heights area as a precaution. The displaced residents were advised to meet at a makeshift evacuation center at Great Oaks High School in Temecula.

By early evening, the personnel had halted the spread of the flames and had gotten the combined 70-acre burn area roughly 30 percent contained, Bortisser said.

No injuries were reported.

The original blaze began Tuesday afternoon as a house fire in the 38800 block of Pala Temecula Road. The flames quickly spread into adjacent trees and brush and began moving through thick foliage on surrounding rural lands.

Authorities evacuated about 100 residents in the area of Temepa Road as that fire grew. They were allowed to return to their homes early Tuesday evening, as crews gained control over the flames.

As of Friday morning, firefighters had the initial footprint of the blaze 95 percent contained, Cal Fire reported.

City News Service

(Reader-submitted photo)