San Diego County Fires Update: Lilac Fire Grows to 80 Acres Since Tuesday
San Diego County Fires Update: Lilac Fire Grows to 80 Acres Since Tuesday
Multiple wildfires erupted in San Diego County early Tuesday, leading to evacuation orders and school closures as strong winds and red flag warnings were issued across Southern California.
The largest of these fires is the Lilac Fire, alongside the Pala Fire and the Riverview Fire, which had its rapid spread halted by early Tuesday. According to the San Diego County Office of Education on X, schools in the Bonsall Unified School District are closed Tuesday due to mandatory evacuations and nearby fires, joining other closures in the county caused by high winds and power outages.
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These wildfires have emerged as the mountains and valleys of San Diego County, along with other parts of Southern California, are under a red flag warning until 10 p.m. Tuesday due to high winds and low humidity levels, indicating that a new fire could escalate quickly.
At the same time, the damaging Palisades and Eaton fires that started two weeks ago in Los Angeles County are still ongoing. Here is a summary of the wildfires in San Diego County as of Tuesday morning.
When did the fires in San Diego County start?
Cal Fire and San Diego County Fire reported at 12:44 a.m. on X that they were responding to a vegetation fire covering around five acres, known as the Pala Fire. Shortly after, the fire agencies shared on X that they were attending to another vegetation fire estimated at three acres, called the Lilac Fire. Just minutes before 2 a.m., they announced on X that they were also on site of a third vegetation fire, named the Riverview Fire, which was approximately one acre in size.
Where are the fires located in San Diego County? According to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office on X, the Lilac Fire ignited near Old Highway 395 and Lilac Road in Bonsall. Bonsall is situated northeast of Oceanside and about a 50-mile drive north of San Diego, depending on the route, as per Google Maps.
The Pala Fire can be found near the southbound lane of Interstate 15 and Steward Canyon Road in San Diego County, while the Riverview Fire began in Fallbrook, which lies north of Bonsall, according to updates from Cal Fire and San Diego County Fire on X.
What is the size and containment of the San Diego County fires?
As of 7:55 a.m., the Lilac Fire has burned 80 acres and is currently 10% contained, according to an incident update from Cal Fire. Cal Fire and San Diego County Fire reported on X that the forward spread of the fire has been halted.
The Pala Fire, which has consumed 17 acres, is 0% contained as of 7:50 a.m., per Cal Fire’s incident update, although the forward progress has been stopped. The forward spread of the Riverview Fire was halted at about one acre, according to updates from Cal Fire and San Diego County Fire.
Crews are still on-site to conduct a full mop-up, as noted in a post by the North County Fire Protection District on X early Tuesday, which involves extinguishing any lingering hotspots or embers that could potentially reignite after the main fire is controlled, according to Cal Fire and the Tehama County Fire Department.
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