East County News Service

November 3, 2019 (El Cajon) – An elderly woman was found unconscious with no pulse near the back door of a burned apartment in the 1500 block of Gustavo Street in El Cajon, just east of Jamaha Rd. She was pronounced dead a short time later at a hospital, Times of San Diego reports.

Update: The victim has been identified a Theresa Chenelle Clouthier, according to the Medical Examiner.

East County News Service

November 1, 2019 (La Mesa) – A motorcycle crashed on the Severin Drive onramp to I-8 westbound at 11:19 p.m. last night, ejecting three people and killing an El Cajon woman, 38.  She was not wearing a helmet and was pronounced dead at the scene.

By Miriam Raftery

October 31, 2019 (San Diego) – As Santa Ana winds begin to diminish, firefighters are making progress against major wildfires burning across California, as well as a small brush fire on Otay Mountain  that started in Mexico and burned into the U.S. Here are updates on fires statewide as of 3:30 p.m. Friday, with links to incident pages where available:

Source: County News Service

October 30, 2019 (San Diego’s East County) -- The San Diego County Office of Education reports that because San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) has activated a public safety power shutoff in certain parts of the county, schools in the following school districts will be closed on Halloween this Thursday, October 31: 

• Dehesa School District
• Julian Union High School District
• Julian Union School District
• Mountain Empire Unified School District
• Rancho Santa Fe School District
• Spencer Valley School District
• Vallecitos School District 
• Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
  

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Easy Fire threatens Reagan Library in Simi Valley; screenshot ABC 7

October 30, 2019 (San Diego) – Much of Southern California is in flames, with several new fires erupting today that have shut down major freeways.  Hurricane-force winds have also toppled over big rigs and trees.  Here are brief updates on existing and new fires:

• Easy Fire in Simi Valley and Moorpark:  The fire that began early this morning in Ventura County has scorched over 1,300 acres, threatening 7,000 homes and the Reagan Library. Thousands are ordered to evacuate and the 23 freeway is shut down:   https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/10/30/brush-fire-erupts-in-simi-valley/
• Getty Fire in Los Angeles:  The blaze has burned 745 acres and is 27% contained. The fire has destroyed a dozen homes.  A  tree branch that blew onto a power line caused the Getty Fire.  The 405 freeway is now open but offramps are closed from 101 to Sunset Blvd. Evacuation orders remain in place.  https://www.lafd.org/news/getty-fire
• Hill Fire in Riverside County:  Started this morning, the Hill Fire has burned 100 acres in the Jurupa Valley area and is 0% contained; evacuations are underway. Highway 60 was closed but is now reopened.  https://ktla.com/2019/10/30/hill-fire-in-jurupa-valley-prompts-mandatory-evacuations-closure-of-60-freeway/
• I-15 blocked by overturned big rigs in San Bernadino County:  At Cajon Pass, hurricane-force winds toppled several big rigs.  https://ktla.com/2019/10/30/powerful-winds-knock-over-at-least-4-big-rigs-on-15-freeway-in-san-bernardino-county/
• Mureau Fire in Calabasas:  A fire in Calabasas briefly shut down highway 101, which has since reopened after firefighters halted forward spread of the blaze that scorched 10 acres. https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/New-Brush-Fire-in-Calabasas-Threatens-Structures-564111401.html
  

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: Governor Newsom met with officials and emergency responders after touring Getty Fire area in Los Angeles yesterday

October 29, 2019 (Sacramento) –San Diego rural and mountain residents weary of repeated utility-led Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) by SDG&E to prevent wildfires had complaints fall on deaf ears during Governor Jerry Brown’s administration.

By contrast, Governor Gavin Newsom has just issued a series of announced actions aimed at restricting widespread intentional outages and penalizing utilities that violate new rules that Newsom aims to impose.  In addition, Newsom called for an end to charging ratepayers during planned outages and approved funds to help compensate those left without power for losses incurred.

He also made clear that he expects the California Public Utilities Commission to take strong actions. The new Governor has appointed two new CPUC commissioners – and made clear at a press conference that he expects to see reforms, or more changes  will be made.

By Miriam Raftery

A GoFundMe site has been set up to help T.J. Poucher recover from the devastating fire

October 28, 2019 (Poway) – T.J. Poucher, a Marine Corps veteran, awoke to a chemical smell and a choking feeling last Saturday night.  Cracking open a door, he was blasted by heat “like a jet engine” that singed his hair and face, he told NBC 7. 

Fortunately, his military training as an infantryman kicked in. “We thrive in chaos,” says Poucher, who knew he needed to break a window immediately. He escaped with his dog but burned his feet on the smouldering grass outside. 

Poucher is grateful that his teenage children were not there during the fire, but the blaze destroyed everything else – a lifetime of memories gone, along with his work truck, his equipment needed for his fish tank cleaning business, two saltwater aquariums filled with fish and coral, and more.

October 28, 2019  (San Diego) --- The National Weather Service has issued a red flag alert, warning of extremely critical fire weather conditions arriving Tuesday night and continuing through Thursday afernoon.  This has potential to be the strongest Santa Ana wind event so far this season, the NWS predicts.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo: ECM news partner 10 News

October 28, 2019 (Ramona) – The Sawday Fire which began Friday morning and scorched 97 acres was caused by a parked trailer that caught fire, Cal Fire reports. It is not yet known what caused the trailer to ignite along Sawday Truck Trail near Littlepage Road.

By Miriam Raftery

October 28, 2019 (Los Angeles) – The fast-moving #GettyFire that erupted overnight near the famous Getty art museum has shut down the 405 freeway in Los Angeles.  Several homes have burned and thousands are threatened. Mandatory evacuations have been issued as far south as Pacific Palisades, affecting 10,000 commercial and residential structures as well as the University of California, Davis campus, CBS 8 reports.

Fire officials described the evacuation zone s a box bounded by Mulholland Drive on the north side, the 405 on the east, Sunset Boulevard on the south and Temescal Canyon Road on the west. A broader evacuation warning area extends north to Topanga and west to Malibu.

By Miriam Raftery, East County Magazine

Photo, left, via CalTrans:  Glencove Fire in Vallejo shut down the Carquinez bridge for several hours

October 27, 2019 (San Diego) – Governor Gavin Newsom today declared a statewide emergency as wildfires whipped by hurricane-force gusts forced hundreds of thousands of people to evacuate. As apocalyptic images emerged, the danger for those caught in the paths of the infernos deepened due to intentional power shut-offs by PG&E that left over 2 million Californians in the dark.

“We area deploying every resource available,” Governor Newsom announced at a press conference, also urging everyone in evacuation zones to heed warnings from offficials and first responders.