Lilac Fire Forces School Closures, Prompts Evacuations In Bonsall Area Of San Diego County

BONSALL, CA — A wildfire scorched dozens of acres, forced evacuations and prompted road and school closures Tuesday in San Diego's North County.

The blaze, called the Lilac Fire, broke out at 1:19 a.m. near Old Highway 395 and Lilac Road in the Bonsall area of San Diego County.

As of 3:20 a.m., the fire had burned 50 acres and was threatening structures, according to Cal Fire San Diego. By 3:51 a.m., the fire had scorched 80 acres.

As of 7:05 a.m., the fire was 10% contained, according to North County Fire Protection District, which was working in unified command with Cal Fire. There were more than 200 firefighters battling the flames.

"Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the state are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow," Cal Fire said.

As of 9:48 a.m., Cal Fire reported the forward rate of spread had been stopped. By 12:10 p.m., the fire was mapped at 85 acres and 35% contained. The blaze had damaged four structures and displaced 86 residents.

"The forward rate of spread has been stopped," Cal Fire said. "Fire crew will continue to build containment lines and extinguish hotspots within the fire's perimeter."

Evacuation Orders and Warnings

Evacuation orders and warnings were issued and later expanded for residents in the area, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office.

Evacuation orders were issued for the following zones: SDC-0235, SDC-0236, SDC-0285, SDC-0286, SDC-0287, SDC-0288, SDC-0289. Evacuation warnings were issued for the following zones: SDC-0281, SDC-0282, SDC-0283, SDC-0325, SDC-0326. See the evacuation maps here.

The Sheriff's Office lifted all evacuation orders and warnings at 8 p.m. Tuesday "due to improved containment." The fire had burned 85 acres and was 50% contained.

Evacuation Shelters

A temporary evacuation point was established at Castle Creek Country Club at 8797 Circle R Drive in Escondido.

As of 10:41 a.m., the temporary evacuation point at Castle Creek Country Club was closing. Evacuated residents were advised to go to Riverview Church at 4980 Sweetgrass Lane in Bonsall. American Red Cross volunteers were providing snacks, water and other resources.

A shelter for large animals opened at CRC Ranch at 43101 Anza Road in Temecula. San Diego Humane Society's Emergency Response Team was supporting the San Diego County Department of Animal Services with animal evacuations.

"If you are evacuating your home, take your pets with you," San Diego Humane Society said on social media. "Pets cannot fend for themselves during disasters and leaving them behind can risk both their lives and those of rescuers. Leave early and don't wait for mandatory evacuation orders."

Closures

All schools in Bonsall Unified School District were closed Tuesday due to the blaze. The area around Sullivan Middle School and Bonsall High School had been evacuated, according to the district.

Cal State San Marcos remained open.

"We are closely monitoring a wildfire that broke out earlier today, which may be causing delays in arriving to campus," the university said on social media. "CSUSM is open and operational. Please contact your professors if the fire is impacting your ability to attend class or complete assignments."

The California Highway Patrol issued a SigAlert and told motorists to expect delays along I-15 from Mission Road to Old Highway 395. There were closures along Old Highway 395, Camino Del Rey and West Lilac Road, according to the CHP.

The southbound I-15 off-ramp to Old Highway 395 was also closed due to the blaze, according to Caltrans.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

The fire was one of three blazes that sparked amid red flag weather conditions early Tuesday morning in North County.

The Pala Fire blackened 17 acres in Pala and the Riverview Fire scorched about an acre in Fallbrook, according to Cal Fire. Both blazes prompted evacuation orders that were later lifted, officials said.

A red flag warning was in effect until 10 p.m. Tuesday for the county's inland valleys and mountains, according to the National Weather Service. A high wind warning was in effect until 4 p.m. Tuesday for the mountains and valleys. A fire weather watch was also issued for 6 p.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Thursday for the mountains and valleys.

Also see:

• Bonsall Fire: See Lilac Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Areas
• Crews Battle Pala Fire In San Diego's North County
• Crews Halt Riverview Fire In Fallbrook
• High Winds, Fire Danger, Outages Force School Closures In San Diego County
  
• Over 15K Without Power, 68K More Under Shutoff Warning In San Diego County
• SigAlert: Lilac Fire Prompts I-15 Off-Ramp Closure, Traffic Delays