Fast-moving wildfires have rattled the San Diego region, with Bonsall and Mission Valley among the hardest-hit areas. Early Tuesday, scores of residents were awakened and urged to evacuate as flames tore through dry vegetation, fueled by intense Santa Ana winds.
Rod Mitchell of Bonsall credits his dogs, Oscar and Max, with saving his life. They woke him at 2 a.m., long after he’d missed calls from his landlady. Stepping outside, he was met with flying embers and firefighters on his property. “The fireman asked, ‘Where did you come from?’ and I said, ‘I just got out of bed.’ He told me, ‘We didn’t think anyone was still up here,’” said Mitchell, 72.
Mitchell fled with his dogs but left his phone behind. By morning, he waited in his truck near a road closure, unable to return to his concrete-reinforced home.
Three fires ignited overnight in North County, the largest being the Lilac fire, which grew to 85 acres near Interstate 15 and State Route 76. Cal Fire utilized night-flying helicopters and ground crews to battle the flames as winds gusted up to 102 mph—equivalent to a Category 2 hurricane in some areas.
Meanwhile, the Friars Road fire near Fashion Valley mall swept along a hillside, prompting evacuation orders for Mission Valley and Linda Vista residents. Emergency responders knocked on doors and issued reverse 911 alerts to evacuate neighborhoods.
San Diego Fire-Rescue deployed heavy resources to combat both fires, containing 50% of the Lilac fire by late afternoon. Evacuation orders were lifted as crews worked to secure the area.
The extreme winds led to highway closures and power outages affecting nearly 16,000 customers, with warnings of additional outages. San Diego Gas & Electric took precautionary measures to prevent further wildfire risks.
While weaker Santa Ana winds are expected midweek, forecasters caution that wildfire threats remain high. Despite a potential weekend rainstorm, the region’s bone-dry conditions—only 0.16 inches of rain since July—continue to fuel concerns.
Fire crews from across the state, including units staged in San Diego for rapid response, were praised for their efforts. “The team here did an amazing job preventing further destruction,” said Battalion Chief Shawn Johnson of the Sonoma County Fire District.
The quick response and collaboration between agencies helped prevent more widespread devastation, but San Diego remains on edge as fire conditions persist.
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