Valley Fire: 17,665 Acres Burned, 32% Contained In East County

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — Containment has grown on a wildfire that has blackened thousands of acres and destroyed several dozen homes and outbuildings in rural eastern San Diego County.

The Valley Fire sparked amid a scorching heat wave Saturday afternoon off Japatul and Carveacre roads in Japatul Valley, southeast of Alpine. The fire remained at 17,665 acres Thursday morning after firefighters made progress overnight, according to Cal Fire. The blaze is now 32 percent contained.

The fire has destroyed 30 "habitable structures," plus 29 minor structures, Cal Fire reported. Eleven other structures have been damaged. Two people have suffered injuries.

A total of 884 firefighters were assigned to the blaze Thursday morning, including 203 overhead personnel. Resources included 112 engines, 15 water tenders, 14 helicopters, eight air tankers and six bulldozers.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

The county has established a recovery hotline and email to help those affected by the Valley Fire. The recovery hotline is 858-715-2200, and the recovery email is ValleyFireRecovery@sdcounty.ca.gov.

Evacuation Orders and Warnings

Orders:

• Carveacre
• Japatul Valley
• Lawson Valley
• Lyons Valley

Warnings:

• Alpine
• Barrett Junction
• Descanso
• Dulzura
• Pine Valley
• Potrero
• Viejas

View the evacuation map for the evacuation order and warning locations.

Evacuation Centers

• El Capitan High School at 10410 Ashwood Street in Lakeside
• Steele Canyon High School at 12440 Campo Road in Spring Valley

Animal Evacuation Shelters

• Small animals: County Animal Services South Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita
• Large animals: Iron Oak Canyon Ranch at 12310 Campo Road in Spring Valley
• Horses: Lakeside Rodeo Arena at 12584 Mapleview St.
• Due to COVID-19 safety precautions, all animal shelters are drop-off only. Owners cannot participate in animal care.
• For help evacuating animals: 619-236-2341

Road Closures

• Japatul Road and Lyons Valley Road/Japatul Valley Road
• Wisecarver Lane at Wisecarver Truck Trail
• Japatul Road north of Hidden Glen Road
• Loveland Reservoir Place at Japatul Road
• Japatul Road at Japatul Spur Road
• West Boundary Truck Trail at Hidden Glen Road

Air Conditions

The San Diego County Pollution Control District said air quality levels were unhealthy in parts of the region due to the conflagration. The agency advised people to limit outdoor activities until the smoky conditions dissipate.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

• Valley Fire: 17,565 Acres Burned, 37 Structures Destroyed
• Valley Fire: 17,345 Acres Burned, 11 Homes Destroyed
• Valley Fire: Two Firefighters Injured; More Residents Flee
• Valley Fire: 5,350 Acres Burn; Crews Work In Triple Digit Weather
• Fast Spreading Valley Fire Prompts Evacuations In Japatul Valley