San Diego firefighters knock down a small brush along a hillside over the Mission Valley Shopping Mall in San Diego on Tuesday, Jan. 21, 2025. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
PALA MESA, Calif. – A wind-driven wildfire — one of two to erupt within about five miles of each other over a 45-minute period — blackened about 17 acres Tuesday in the far northern reaches of San Diego County, threatening some rural homes before crews could subdue the flames.
The blaze erupted amid gusty Santa Ana conditions shortly after midnight in an open area just west of Interstate 15, near Canonita Drive and Old Highway 395 in Pala Mesa, according to Cal Fire.
Ground crews and personnel aboard two Black Hawk firefighting helicopters battled the flames, getting the spread halted as of 3:20 a.m., said Robert Johnson, a fire captain with the state agency.
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The cause of the blaze, which caused no reported structural damage, was under investigation.
The fire burned north of another one that broke out about 12:40 a.m. Tuesday near Old Highway 395 and Lilac Road in Bonsall.
The second blaze charred roughly 80 acres and damaged an undetermined number of structures before crews could get the spread of the flames under control in the late morning, officials said.
lodi777 ph com ADVERTISEMENTFarther north, a third brush fire began burning shortly before 1:30 a.m. off Riverview Road, just west of I-15 in Fallbrook. It grew to almost an acre in size — resulting in no known injuries or structural damage — before firefighters got it corralled as of 2:40 a.m., Johnson said.
Meanwhile, a fast-moving hillside brush fire prompted evacuations and road closures in Mission Valley Tuesday.
The blaze erupted shortly after noon on the north side of Friars Road, across the street from Fashion Valley mall, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
ADVERTISEMENTPolice shut down a stretch of the busy roadway and cleared people out of nearby structures as ground crews and personnel aboard water-dropping helicopters fought the fire, which was climbing steep slopes toward a bluff-top condominium complex.
Firefighters stopped the spread of the blaze at roughly three acres by early afternoon, officials said. There were no reports of structural damage or injuries.
The powerful Santa Ana winds continued to buffet Southern California Tuesday, again raising wildfire danger as crews continued their efforts to fully contain a pair of massive blazes in the LA area that erupted amid erratic winds earlier this month, killing more than two dozen people and destroying more than 15,000 structures.
Forecasters took the rare step of issuing a “particularly dangerous situation warning” for a large portion of Los Angeles and Ventura counties Sunday afternoon due to damaging Santa Ana winds and very low humidity.
That warning expired at 10 a.m. Tuesday, but a standard red flag warning of critical fire danger will remain in place until 10 p.m. Santa Clarita Valley, Malibu coast, Santa Monica Mountains Recreational Area, Calabasas, San Fernando Valley, the San Gabriel Mountains, San Gabriel Valley and the 5 and 14 Freeway corridors.
Red flag warnings for Catalina Island, the Palos Verdes Hills and Antelope Valley foothills will expire at 2 p.m.
Much of the region will remain under a fire weather watch until Thursday night, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters said there is a chance more red flag warnings could be issued Wednesday night into Thursday.
“Moderate to locally strong Santa Ana winds will continue over much of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties today,” forecasters said. “These winds will weaken tonight into Wednesday morning, but remain gusty over the mountains and hills. Another round of widespread gusty winds will pick up as early as Wednesday afternoon and peak Wednesday Night into Thursday.
Meanwhile, extremely low humidities will persist with minimums under 10 percent over much of the area and poor overnight recoveries.”
Officials urged residents to review their evacuation plans and make sure emergency kits are stocked with needed items should they have to evacuate.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a Windblown Dust and Ash Advisory through 10 p.m. Tuesday, with strong Santa Ana winds expected to affect the region.
Officials advised residents to stay indoors, and to wear protective masks and eye-wear upon stepping out.
Containment of the 14,021-acre Eaton Fire grew to 89 percent Tuesday, aided by water-dropping helicopters, continued extinguishing hot spots in steep, inaccessible canyons near Winters Creek, Mt. Lowe and Mt. Wilson before a new wind event moves into the region.
The 23,713-acre Palisades Fire was 63 percent contained.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass issued an executive order Tuesday to expedite fire debris removal and install reinforcement barriers and sandbags with rain in the forecast for burn areas as early as this weekend. (With CNS report)
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