Newsman: Two wildfires ignited early Tuesday in San Diego, California’s Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.The Lilac Fire had burned about 20 acres at a moderate rate of speed and was zero percent contained, Cal Fire’s San Diego department said in a statement posted on social media.
The Pala Fire, which was burning at a slow rate of speed, had burned about 30 acres and was also zero percent contained, the department said in another post.
An evacuation order was issued early Tuesday for the area near Old Highway 395 and W. Lilac Road in Bonsall, a community in an unincorporated area in northern San Diego, officials said.
“An evacuation order has been issued for people who live in the red shaded areas as shown on the maps below,” the San Diego Sheriff’s office said. “It means there is an immediate threat and you need to leave right now.”
Windy conditions that could help spread any fires that ignite are set to return to Southern California next week.
Winds gusting up to 60 mph are possible on Monday and Tuesday, with relative humidity as low as 3% is possible.
More than 10 million in Southern California are under a fire weather watch. Should fire ignition occur, extreme fire behavior and rapid fire growth is expected.
For now, these are just fire weather watches for the Burbank and Malibu areas, but could be upgraded to red flag warnings.
The strong winds could last longer than Tuesday as winds may stick around along with very dry conditions expected throughout the week.
There is still no rain in the foreseeable future for Southern California.
At least 27 people have died as multiple wildfires, fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds, rage across Southern California.
Thousands of firefighters have been battling wildfires across 45 square miles of densely populated Los Angeles County. The two largest fires, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena, remain active.
The Palisades Fire, which began in the Pacific Palisades on Jan. 7, has destroyed or damaged over 6,000 structures. It’s covered more than 23,700 acres and is at 59% containment.
The Eaton Fire north of Pasadena also began on Jan. 7 and has destroyed or damaged more than 10,000 structures. It’s burned over 14,000 acres and is at 87% containment.
5th ‘particularly dangerous situation’ alert issued for LA area
A huge area of Southern California, including fire-ravaged Los Angeles County, was under a “particularly dangerous situation” alert on Monday as the National Weather Service forecast the return of strong Santa Ana winds to the region.
For an unprecedented fifth time in a single fire season, the NWS issued the rare PDS alert, warning residents of extreme fire danger and to be prepared to evacuate if new fires break out.
Monday morning, just two blazes, the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire near Pasadena was active. But officials said firefighters had gained the upper hand on both wildfires.
In anticipation of the next round of Santa Ana winds forecast for Monday and Tuesday, thousands of firefighters spent the weekend increasing fire containment lines and extinguishing hot spots.
Gov. Newsom mobilizes firefighting resources ahead of ‘particularly dangerous’ fire weather
California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sunday announced that he would deploy additional resources ahead of the extreme fire weather expected this week.
A statement from the governor’s office said that he is mobilizing and pre-positioning more than 170 fire engines, water tenders, and aircraft to Southern California, along with personnel. It explained that the state is “surging additional resources to provide rapid-attack capabilities for early fire starts.”
The region can expect possible peak wind speeds of up to 70 mph in the coasts and valleys and 100 mph in the mountains and foothills of Los Angeles and Ventura counties. The National Weather Service has designated this a “Particularly Dangerous Situation.” It is the fifth such designation since November 2024.
“The recent firestorms in Los Angeles have illustrated the importance of being in the right place at the right time,” Newsom said in the statement. “By strategically placing specialized personnel and equipment in areas prone to wildfires, crews are able to respond faster and more aggressively. These conditions are dangerous, so it’s incumbent upon all families to stay vigilant.”
The number of resources being deployed for the upcoming weather is twice as high as those allotted when the firestorms broke out on Jan. 7.
Containment of the Palisades Fire is up to 59% while containment of the Eaton Fire grew to 87%, according to the Cal Fire.
The Palisades Fire, which started on Jan. 7, has burned 23,713 acres and has destroyed 5,828 structures, including homes and businesses, according to an update from Cal Fire on Monday. At least 10 fire-related deaths have been reported in the Palisades Fire.
The Eaton Fire, which also started on Jan. 7, has burned more than 14,000 acres and has destroyed 9,391 structures in the communities of Pasadena and Altadena, according to Cal Fire. At least 17 fatalities have been blamed on the fire.
