Crime & Safety

Valley Fire: 5,350 Acres Burn; Crews Work In Triple Digit Weather

The fast burning Valley Fire has destroyed 10 structures and forced evacuations in less than 24 hours with 1% containment Sunday.

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The fire was burning along steep and rugged terrain, which will pose a strenuous challenge for firefighters, who also face dry and hot conditions upwards of 108 degrees in the Japatul Valley area near Alpine Sunday.
The fire was burning along steep and rugged terrain, which will pose a strenuous challenge for firefighters, who also face dry and hot conditions upwards of 108 degrees in the Japatul Valley area near Alpine Sunday. (Renee Schiavone/Patch)

ALPINE, CA — Firefighters were up against the rapidly spreading Valley Fire amid triple digit weather in eastern San Diego County Sunday. The blaze raged overnight, burning more than 5,350 acres with 1 percent containment and surrounding communities were ordered to evacuate.

The fire had already burned 10 structures, with more threatened Sunday. With a dangerous heatwave underway in California, firefighters face a unique challenge as they battle the blaze along steep and rugged terrain. Crews could be working in dry and hot conditions upwards of 108 degrees in the Japatul Valley area near Alpine Sunday.

Emergency evacuation orders were given at 3:45 a.m. Sunday for areas west of the intersection of Japatul Road and Lyons Valley Road. Saturday evening, evacuation orders were given for the Carveacre area and all of Lawson Valley.

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Residents of the surrounding areas were invited to take shelter at Joan McQueen Middle School at 2001 Tavern Road or Steele Canyon High School at 2440 Campo Road.

Saturday afternoon, fire blocked roadways in the Carveacre community and residents who became stranded were told to shelter in place.

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More than 335 firefighters were on the ground fighting the fire as structures were threatened in the Carveacre and Lawson Valley, Wood Valley, Lyons Valley, Deer Valley and Sycuan Indian Reservation. Resources included four bulldozers and five water tenders.

The San Diego Humane Society was preparing its Emergency Response Team for a second day of assisting with animal evacuations in the Valley Fire Sunday. Those who needed assistance evacuating an animal were urged to call 619-299-7012 and press 1.

"Remember to evacuate early, take your pets with you, bring food and water," The Humane Society tweeted Sunday morning.

The Orange County Fire Authority on Saturday said it dispatched a "strike team" of five fire engines and two battalion chiefs to assist their southern colleagues, joining crews from the Cleveland National Forest and CalFire.

Cal Fire also reported that there was also threat to Sunrise Power 500 KV power lines, which supply a large portion of San Diego County's electricity.

``Firefighters are working against extreme fire behavior with wind-driven runs and long-range spotting,'' the agency said.

On Sunday morning, San Diego Gas & Electric reported power outagesaffecting 1,288 customers in the fire area.

Communities affected when the Valley Fire damaged the electric systemwere Dulzura, Potrero, Campo, Jamul, North Jamul, Lyons Valley and BarrettLake. A total of 1,020 customers were affected and power was expected to berestored by 5 p.m.

The communities affected when weather damaged equipment were Dehesa, Alpine, Rancho Palo Verde, Harbison Canyon, Glen Oaks, West Alpine, Jamacha,West Jamul, Indian Springs, Lyons Valley, and Barrett Lake.

A total of 268 customers in those areas were affected and SDG&E estimated power would be restored by 5 p.m. there as well.

The utility said it has crews staged at the site of the fire and will work to restore power once Cal Fire determines it is safe to enter the area.

The fire began burning off Spirit Trail and Japatul Road in the Japatul Valley area and quickly burned more than 1,500 acres in just a few hours. Firefighters from the Cleveland National Forest and Cal Fire were responding to the fire, which threatened structures.

Huge plumes of smoke could be seen billowing out from the hillside as the fire burned actively. Residents of southwest Riverside County reported smokey skies from the fire as well.

Smoke from the Valley Fire visible across the Santa Rosa Plateau in unincorporated Murrieta. (Toni McAllister | Patch)

SEE ALSO: Valley Fire Sends Smoke Across Southwest Riverside County

The City News Service and Patch staffer Kat Schuster contributed to this report.

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