Vehicle Fire Spreads to Vegetation on Hwy 67

Lakeside:

Firefighters in Lakeside were called out on Monday August 18, 2014 to reports of a fully involved vehicle fire on Highway 67 near Scripps Poway Parkway.  The dispatch location falls near the border of three fire districts, so units from Lakeside, Cal Fire, and Poway Fire were dispatched.

Cal Fire Engine 3388 arrived just before Lakeside Engine 2 and reported a fully involved vehicle fire that was spreading into the vegetation.  Crews from the Cal Fire Engine and Lakeside Engine 2 split their efforts, using one hose line out to address the vehicle fire and one hose line to address the vegetation fire.  The fire in the vegetation was quickly stopped and held to under 1/4 of an acre.  The vehicle fire was also extinguished, but the car was a complete loss.

The incident, which occurred during the evening commute, caused quite a bit of traffic on HWY 67.  CHP assisted the Fire crews on scene by making what is usually a four line highway into a 2 lane highway.  This assistance gave firefighters enough space to address the two fires safely.

View 2014 Incident Map in a larger map

  Story and Photos by Captain Bernie Molloy

Multi-Agency Response to Fire in Santee

Santee, CA -

Firefighters spent the hot afternoon of Friday June 28, 2013, battling a blaze off of Prospect Avenue in Santee, just north of Gillespie Field. As resources were being released from the vegetation fire on Muth Valley Road, another fire was breaking out in Santee.

Heavy smoke showing on arrival.

Reports began coming in to Heartland Communication Center that there was both a vegetation fire and a structure fire taking place. Lakeside Fire Chief 4101 (Parr) arrived on scene and reported heavy smoke and fire visible with several vehicles and rubbish on fire behind a building. Santee Engine 4, Engine 5 and Lakeside Engine 3 arrived in short order and began attacking the fire from different access points.

Lakeside Engineer Shawn McKenna attacking the fire.

The fire was burning across several lots in the 10500 block of Prospect Avenue. There was vegetation, structures, cars, trash, cargo container's and other debris that burned. During the fire several propane tanks ruptured sending the sounds of explosions throughout the areas surrounding the fire. There were also compressed paint cans that exploded flying over 100 feet from the fire. This fact illustrates the reason the public should not try to get close to these events when they happen. To complicate the suppression efforts there were several fences that obstructed the firefighters ability to reach all of the debris that was on fire.

Lakeside Captain Bernie Molloy checking access.

The fire was suppressed after approximately 30 minutes. Firefighters remained on-scene for an extended period of time. The overhaul needs from this fire were extensive. All of the vegetation and debris had to be thoroughly covered in water to ensure there were no hidden embers that would later result in more fires.

Lakeside Fire Captain Ian Lowe confers with San Diego Engine 34's Captain.

The response included 14 engines, 2 trucks, 2 ALS medic units, 6 chief officers and the Lakeside Fire Logistical Volunteer Group. Of these units Lakeside Fire supplied 2 fire engines 1 brush engine, 1 ALS ambulance, 3 chief officers, and the LVG support personnel. Other agencies assisting Santee Fire were Lakeside Fire Protection District, Heartland Fire and Rescue, San Diego Fire and Rescue, and Viejas Fire. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Story By: Captain Bernie Molloy

Photos By: Captain Rick Dalldorf and Firefighter/Paramedic Steve Russo

View 2013 Incident Map in a larger map

Barona Vegetation Fire Draws Interagency Response

Barona- Just after 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 8,2011, Lakeside firefighters were called to assist several other agencies with a vegetation fire that was burning at approximately the 8 mile marker of Wildcat Canyon Road on the Barona Indian Reservation.  There had been an initial dispatch for Cal Fire and Forest service units for a fire on Wildcat Canyon, and shortly after Barona Units were called to investigate smoke at the north end of the reservation.  

The view from the South as units approached the fire

The fire was quickly determined to be on the Barona Reservation so a medium wildland dispatch was put out for Heartland units to respond.  On the dispatch were Battalion 1, Brush 2, Engine 1, and Engine 3 (Lakeside); Battalion 8, Engine, Brush and Medic 27 (Barona); Brush 4 (Santee).

The Fire bumps Wildcat Canyon Rd.

As initial units were arriving on scene, the fire was only 1-2 acres but it was traveling at a moderate rate of spread across the light flashy fuels (light grass and annual growth shrubs) and heading towards the thicker vegetation that covered the rock-strewn mountainside.  Fire crews and aerial resources began attacking the flanks of the fire, which was moving along the hillside toward the west, being driven by topography and slight upslope winds. The fire also had a slight backing motion to it, spreading slowly to the east, where it would meet Wildcat Canyon Road.  Crews, including the Lakeside and Santee units, began arriving on scene and supplementing the hose lays that had been started by Barona Fire, Forest Service, and Cal Fire Units.

A Cal Fire Air Drop over Lakeside Engine 3

The Fire was quickly handled by the resources on hand and held to approximately 10 acres. In addition to the engine companies and aerial operations, both handcrews and a dozer were brought in to aid with the suppression operations.  This fire shows that the vegetation is drying out as the summer progresses.  We have steadily seen fire intensity increase over the summer as the fuel loads become more susceptible to fire spread.  This is a reminder that all people who own property in an urban interface area should continue to be vigilant about maintaining their defensible space.

A view from above the fire.

This fire, which was run under a joint Incident Command between Barona and Cal Fire with Lakeside Battalion 1 assigned as Operations Section Chief, is an example of how well the various agencies in San Diego County work with one another, especially in these urban interface areas.  It is due to the ongoing efforts by all agencies to train together and follow the same tactics and strategies during emergency operations that we can have crews from 7 different agencies all working together seamlessly completing an objective.  The training earlier in the year such as the San Diego County Wildland Drill, and the annual RT 130 Wildland Refresher Course are starting to pay their usual dividends in our inter-agency operations as we progress through the summer wildland season.

Story By:  Engineer/Paramedic Bernie Molloy
Photos By: Chief Ken Kremensky and Firefighter/Paramedic Matt Buzzell

Lakeside Assists Barona at Wildcat Canyon Extrication

Barona: On Monday, March 1st, 2010 at 9:41 PM, the Heartland Communications Center dispatched two engine companies, a rescue company, an ALS ambulance, and Battalion Chief to a reported rollover vehicle accident with multiple victims trapped on Wildcat Canyon Rd, north of Willow Rd. As the Lakeside companies made their way towards Wildcat Canyon additional calls came into to Comm. Center indicating that the accident may actually be further north near Barona's jurisdiction. Battalion 1 (Laff) requested that Barona start a response to the updated location. That request brought a truck company, an additional rescue company, an ALS ambulance, and a Battalion Chief (Kremensky) to the scene.

Lakeside and Barona fire crews start cutting operations to access the patient.

Photo By Ron Laff

Battalion 1 and the Barona companies arrived on-scene to find a vehicle on it's roof with a single trapped occupant. Barona initiated rescue operations and patient contact. On the arrival of Rescue 3 they were assigned to start cutting operations to free the occupant. Crews were able to quickly free the victim and assess her injuries. The occupant was transported via Barona M27 to the Palomar Trauma Center in Escondido.

Firefighters stabilize vehicle while another crew continues cutting operations.

CHP is investigating the accident which blocked Wildcat Canyon Road for over an hour.

Submitted By: Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire District