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Sunday, October 21, 2007 concluded with mysterious wildfires fires on the rise and smoke-filled skies. San Diego awoke in fear Monday, October 22, 2007, as at least 8 wildfires violently spread across the county. From ash-covered cars in downtown San Diego to devastated homeowners throughout East County and new fires ablaze in San Marcos, San Diego at-large is in a tragic state.

As a result of the brutal Santa Ana wind conditions, the 2007 San Diego wildfires have the potential of being even worse than the San Diego Cedar Fires of 2003, which destroyed more than 3,000 homes and burned more than 300,000 acres. As of Monday morning, there is active fire on all fronts, and firefighters have yet to begin to contain. The “devil winds” are expected to continue through to Tuesday, and possibly as late as Wednesday.

San Diego wildfires, as of Monday, October 22, 2007, 10am:

Coronado Hills Fire (in San Marcos): At least 1,000 residents in the communities of Coronado Hills and Discovery Hills in San Marcos, and throughout Attebury Road and Deadwood Road have been notified. These San Marcos residents were evacuated to Escondido High School.

Mission Fire (in Fallbrook): Rainbow Area residents have been instructed to evacuate west. The evacuated area in Fallbrook spans: I-15 on the west, Rainbow Valley on the north, Pala Temecula on the east and Pala Road on the south.

Witch Fire: The neighborhoods surrounding Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve, Del Dios Highway, Lake Hodges, Poway at Espola Road, Old Coach Road, Heritage Road, and Stage Coach Road have been evacuated. Also, the Poway area bordered by Twin Peaks on the south, and Espola on the north and east have been notified via reverse 911 tactics. The Poway Civic Center is serving as an evacuation center.

Harris Creek Fire: Residents of Mother Grundy Truck Trail and Deer Horn Valley have been notified and evacuated to Steele Canyon High School. Santana High School in Santee will also serve as an evacuation center. The area of Coyote Holler has also been notified and evacuated east to Campo. Most recently, areas north of Lake Wohlford have been evacuated as well.

Palomar Mountain

San Pasqual valley

Descanso

McCoy

For San Diego wildfires information:

Call 211 for non-emergency calls, related to the fires. To avoid wait-time, residents can also find updated fire information online at 211SanDiego.org. Due to large volume, you may experience delay with both the phone line and website.

Additional San Diego wild fire resources:

Fire Safety Tips

General info line: 858.694.3900

San Diego County Department of Environmental Health: sdcounty.ca.gov/deh

San Diego County Emergency: sdcountyemergency.com

U.S. Fire Admimistration: usfa.dhs.gov/citizens

American Red Cross: sdarc.org

City of San Diego Community Access: 619.570.1070