Multiple Fires Along I-8 Brings Multi-Agency Response

Alpine, CA -

Multiple small brush fires along Interstate Highway 8 brought a multi-agency response on Tuesday, August 30, 2011. Four separate fires were reported between Dunbar Lane and Tavern Road just after 2:30 p.m. Alpine Battalion 7 (Rushing) requested a high-wildland resource dispatch and along with Alpine 4701 (Paskle), coordinated the placement of incoming fire units to handle the four simultaneous fires. Additional chief officers from Lakeside, CalFire, and U.S. Forest Service responded to assist Tavern Incident Command with the direction of the numerous fire units assigned to the fires.

While the fires were relatively small in size, the smoke blowing across both east and westbound lanes created a real hazard for drivers on I-8.  Heartland Fire Communications dispatched Central Zone firefighters from Lakeside (B1, Br2, Br26, E3), Viejas (E25, Br225), Alpine (E17), San Miguel (E19), and El Cajon (E8). Additional resources responded from CalFire, U.S. Forest Service, BLM, and San Diego County Fire Authority. Two water-dropping helicopters were also assigned to the fires.

The rapid response and quick coordination of the assigned resources kept these fires from becoming a potentially much larger blaze.

Lakeside Engine 3 operates on I-8.

Lakeside Firefighter Shawn McKenna cutting line with a chainsaw.

Lakeside Engineer-Paramedic Chris Downing mops-up one of the fires.

Photos and story by: Captain Scott Culkin, Lakeside Fire District

Lakeside Firefighters Help Battle Barona Blaze

Barona- Just after 3:00 p.m. on Monday, August 29 ,2011, Lakeside firefighters were called to assist several other agencies with a vegetation fire that was burning on the Barona Indian Reservation in the 15000 block of Wildcat Canyon Rd near the intersection with San Vicente Rd.

The fire was initially reported as fast moving 20 acre blaze in light to medium fuels that was making a run up a west facing slope with a slight upslope wind on it. The combination of the light fuels, slope, and ambient temperatures above 100 degrees were ideal conditions for the fire to make a rapid spread. 

Heartland dispatched a high wildland at 3:10 pm , which included Units from Barona , Lakeside, and Santee Fire Departments. It was determined that the fire was moving toward the San Diego Country Estates so additionally a Type I strike team was requested for structure protection. Every station in Lakeside sent units to the fire, including Engine 1, Brush 2, Engine 3, Brush 26 and Battalion 1. Lakeside Fire stations were then supplemented with move up companies from San Miguel and La Mesa Fire. 

The fire grew rapidly but as resources arrived on scene it began to be controlled. The combined use of hose lines up the flanks of the fire and a heavy aerial attack with both fixed and rotary wing aircraft brought the fire to a halt at approximately 60 acres. The threat to the San Diego Country Estates neighborhood never materialized as the fire was stopped before it could reach any structures. The cause of this fire is under investigation.

We have seen a steady increase of fire activity from fire we had just down the street on August 7, 2011 and again the other fire we saw again just down the street on August 20, 2011. As we continue to see an increase in fire intensity 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. 


Story and Photos By:  Engineer/Paramedic Bernie Molloy
Addtional Photos By: Captain Rick Dalldorf
Video By: Captain Jerry Daoust

Vehicle Fire on Lemoncrest

Lakeside:  On August 26, 2011, Lakeside firefighters were dispatched to the report of a vehicle fire on Lemoncrest Dr.  Engine 1 (Riverview fire station) arrived and found a pickup truck on fire on the dirt hill just above Lemoncrest Elementary School.  

A hoseline is stretched and SCBA is donned.

Fire attack is initiated.

The vehicle was on its way to becoming fully involved with smoke and flames coming from the engine compartment.  An attack line was stretched and fire extinguished.  As can be seen in the photos, firefighters don the same protective clothing as is used for structure fires.  

The fire is knocked-down and the area is cooled off.

Car fires, while not  in an enclosed environment, produce a great deal of harmful gases that can be inhaled if breathing apparatus (SCBA) is not worn.  

The engine compartment is accessed and overhauled.

The vehicle's driver stated that he was backing out of the driveway when one of his tires went off the road and the truck slid down the hill where it became stuck and eventually caught fire.  The prompt action of the Engine 1 crew kept the fire from spreading to the surrounding vegetation which could have done a great deal of damage in this residential area.  


Photos and Story Submitted by: Captain Wes Barnes, Lakeside Fire District.

Truck Driver Narrowly Escapes Serious Injury

On Friday, August 26, 2011, at 2:48 p.m., Lakeside firefighters responded to a report of a large truck accident on Driftwood Creek Rd. near Quail Canyon Rd. in Blossom Valley. Engine 26s (Blossom Valley fire station), Rescue 3 and Medic 3 (Lake Jennings fire station) arrived on scene to find a Waste Management refuse truck in its side fifty-feet down an embankment.

Fortunately the driver was able to jump free of the vehicle after losing control before it plummeted down the hillside. He sustained only minor injuries.

Firefighter Todd Welch stands by with a safety hose line.

After attending to the injured driver, Lakeside firefighters stood by with safety hoselines for the vehicle recovery operation. Two heavy-duty tow trucks from RoadOne towing were required to pull the massive wreck back up to the roadway through the dry vegetation.

This effort required consultation with the supervisor

As you can imagine, it was no simple task to recover the refuse truck. The effort took close to three hours with temperatures hovering just below 100 degrees.

Submitted by: Chuck Palmore, Lakeside Fire Captain
Pictures by: Robert Williams, Lakeside Fire Engineer

Suspicious Package Results In A Hazmat Response

On Wednesday, August 24, 2011, at 3:31pm, Lakeside firefighters from Blossom Valley station 26 were dispatched to investigate a report of a suspicious package containing unknown chemicals. Upon arrival at the Chocolate Summit Drive residence, the homeowner stated that an unexpected package was found at their front gate. The small cardboard box was marked with hazardous warning markings and lacked any shipping information to indicate its origin, intended destination, or exact contents.

Multi-Agency Hazmat Response

Sensing that something was not right, the homeowner left the package in place and called 911. After a cautious visualization by fire personnel, the package markings and incident situation was reported to the San Diego County Department of Environmental Health Hazardous Incident Response Team (DEH-HIRT) for consultation. The scene was secured and a safe perimeter was established.  Due to the circumstance and limited available information, it was decided that a full Hazmat response was indicated. This response included units from San Diego County and City Hazmat teams along with the San Diego Sheriff Bomb Squad.

Sheriff Bomb Squad with portable X-Ray equipment

A plan was developed with input from all agencies involved. Initially, Sheriff Bomb Squad personnel were sent in with portable x-ray equipment to determine if any evidence of an explosive device was present. The x-ray was then analyzed and no explosive device indicators were detected. San Diego City Hazmat-1 personnel were then sent in wearing level-B exposure suits to open the package and inspect its contents.

San Diego City Hazmat-1 personnel

Hazmat personnel discovered a two-part industrial adhesive inside which was properly packaged in accordance with hazardous materials transport regulations and deemed not to be a hazard. The box and contents, which included indications as to its origin, were removed from the scene by County Hazmat and an investigation into its intended destination will be conducted.

In this incident, the package turned out to be safe and harmless in its proper containers. However, the homeowner acted absolutely appropriately when faced with the unknown nature of the situation. Remember, if something doesn't seem right to you, treat it with caution and be on the safe side.

Submitted By: Chuck Palmore, Lakeside Fire Captain
Photos By: Robert Williams, Lakeside Fire Engineer

Quick Response in Lakeside Stops Vehicle/Vegetation Fire

Foster, CA

On Tuesday, August 23, 2011, at 2:30 p.m., Lakeside firefighters responded to a report of a vehicle fire on Hwy 67 near Slaughterhouse Canyon Road. Initial reports from Heartland Communications indicated there might be two occupants still inside the burning vehicle. While enroute, dispatchers reported a possible threat to nearby vegetation. With this new information, Lakeside Battalion 1 (Tockstein) requested a full wildland fire resource response.

Lakeside E2 (Eucalyptus Hills fire station) was first on scene reporting a fully-involved vehicle fire extending into the nearby vegetation. Firefighters quickly deployed two hoselines and extinguished the brush and vehicle fire. Luckily, the report of occupants in the vehicle were unfounded.

The quick response and aggressive actions of E2's firefighters kept this relatively small fire from becoming a
major wildland fire.

This fully-involved vehicle ignited the nearby brush.

Story and photo submitted by: Captain Jerry Daoust, Lakeside Fire District

Lakeside Fire Crews Respond to Brush Fire on Bull Pen Rd.

Barona- Just before 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 20 ,2011, Lakeside firefighters were called to assist several other agencies with a vegetation fire that was burning in the 1100 block of Bull Pen Road on the Barona Indian Reservation.  The fire was seen, ironically enough, by Barona Fire crews who were out training with their Brush unit. A medium wildland dispatch, which was quickly upgraded to a high wildland dispatch included Battalion 8, Brush 27, Rescue 27 (Barona), Engine 1, and Engine 2, Brush 26 (Lakeside); Engine, Brush and Medic 27 (Barona); Brush 4 (Santee).

The fire was located on a west facing slope and had a slight onshore wind behind it, pushing it up toward the top of the ridge line. This area last burned in the Witch fire in October of 2007. The vegetation, unlike how it looks in the Google Earth view, has recovered a great deal and had a mix of annual grasses, shoulder high poison oak, and dense brush.  

The fire carried well through the grass crops but did not burn well in the more dense fuels. In what is a carbon copy of the fire behavior of the fire we had just up the street on August 7, 2011 the dense fuels slowed the fire enough that it was able to be halted before it burned unchecked into the national forest.

Barona units quickly began progressive hose lays up the flanks of the fire, which were quickly supplemented by crews from the municipal departments, USFS and Cal Fire as they arrived on scene. The fire crews were aided by aerial resources as they progressed up the fire, which was moving up the hillside toward the east, being driven by topography and light upslope winds. The fire was quickly handled by the resources on hand and held to less than 10 acres. In addition to the engine companies and aerial operations, Cal Fire hand crews were brought in to aid with the suppression operations.  The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

This fire again illustrates that the vegetation is drying out as the summer progresses.  We continue to see an increase in fire intensity 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. In what is another 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 continuing to pay their usual dividends in our inter-agency operations as we progress through the summer wildland season.
Story and photos By:  Engineer/Paramedic Bernie Molloy

Lakeside Firefighters respond to House Fire

Winter Gardens -  On Tuesday August 16, 2011 Lakeside Fire crews were dispatched along with crews from San Miguel, El Cajon, and Santee to the report of a structure fire on Vista Del Cajon in the Winter Gardens area.  The initial dispatch reported that there was heavy black smoke coming from under the residence.  When San Miguel Engine 19 arrived on scene their report on conditions confirmed there was smoke rolling out from under the building.  Lakeside Engine 1 and Medic 1, from the Riverview station, were next on scene and laid a 4 supply line up to E19, who was actively engaging the fire.

Crew Stretch a hoseline into the structure

El Cajon Engine 8 was close behind E1 and moved up to assist E19 with fire attack.  Soon after the arrival of the first three units came Lakeside Battalion 1, El Cajon Engine 9, Santee Truck 4 and Cal Fire unit 3352.  Crews on scene had to remove all of the skirting around the residence to attack the fire that was burning under the structure.

A San Miguel, Lakeside, and El Cajon Engine are lined up

After several minutes of removing siding and spraying water on the flames the fire was suppressed.  The fire was held to the underside of the structure and kept from extending into the residence.  Nobody was injured in the fire and the cause is under investigation.

The damage from the fire was primarily under the residence

Story and Photos by Engineer / Paramedic Bernie Molloy.

Eucalyptus Hills Chipping Day

Eucalyptus Hills, CA - 

On Saturday, August 13, 2011, the Eucalyptus Hills Fire Safe Council held another successful community chipping day. The event allows local residents to drop off brush and other vegetation that would otherwise add fuel to a potential wildfire.

A record total of 117 loads of brush, branches, and cuttings were chipped into mulch that homeowners could then use as ground cover. This event was funded through donations collected at previous chipping day events and supported by the Eucalyptus Hills Landowners Association.

Lakeside Fire District Engineer Rob Andrews assists a resident with unloading the
trimmings from a fire hazard reduction project.

A record number of loads (117) were dropped off at the community chipping day event
held at the former Eucalyptus Hills Elementary school.

Story and photos submitted by: Captain Jim Kirkpatrick, Lakeside Fire District

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