Sterling Fire Threatens area Structures

Glenview-

On Wednesday, May 14, 2014, at 4:59 p.m. the Heartland Communications Center received a report of a vegetation fire in the area of the 12900 block of Highway 8 Business in the Glenview area. Given the severe weather conditions, a high wildland response was dispatched which sends multiple resources to the fire.

Fire jumps Highway 8 Business and starts it's uphill run towards homes. (Photo By: Ken Kremensky, Barona FD)

On the arrival of Lakeside Division Chief Chuck Tockstein, he found a fire on the south side of the highway making a run towards the north. Within minutes the fire had jumped Highway 8 Business and was making an uphill run towards multiple homes in the Sterling Drive and Jackson Hill Drive areas. An immediate request was placed for a strike team of engines to respond to those areas and take up structural defense positions.

Fire approaches homes off Sterling Drive. (Photo By: Ken Kremensky, Barona FD)

An engine from Heartland Fire & Rescue takes up a position on a structure on Sterling Drive. (Photo By: Todd Welch, Lakeside FD)

Firefighters took up positions to start hose lays to cut off further extension of the fire. But in the midst of the fire attack there was a wind change which now sent the fire towards homes in the 13000 block of Highway 8 Business. Another strike team was requested and took up structural defense positions in a nearby mobile home park.

Lakeside Brush 201 arrives at the Sterling Fire. (Photo By: Nathan Price)

Lakeside crews putting in a hose lay on the eastern flank. (Photo By: Todd Welch, Lakeside FD)

Due to multiple campaign fires in the San Diego County area there was no air assets or hand crews available to assist.

Crews continued to advance hose lays around the fire and at 6:57 p.m. the Incident Commander declared that the forward progress of the fire had been stopped. Although the active burning had stopped, firefighters now faced the task of an extensive overhaul. A number of crews spent the night on the line overhauling hot spots and patrolling the fire area.

A firefighter in the "green" as the fire front approaches. (Photo By: Todd Welch, Lakeside FD)

Overhaul extended well throughout the daylight hours the next day. Crews continued to overhaul hot spots and remove trees that had created a hazard. The Lakeside Logistic Volunteers provided fire support throughout the incident.

This burn pattern is know by firefighters as "Moonscaping." It's when everything in the fire's path is consumed. This is normally seen in August, not May.

During this incident Lakeside Fire received assistance from:

• Barona Fire
• Alpine Fire
• Heartland Fire & Rescue
• Santee Fire
• Sycuan Fire
• Bonita Fire
• Viejas Fire
• USFS
• Lakeside LVG's
• San Diego Sheriff Department
• California Highway Patrol

Submitted By: Fire Captain Mark Grow, Lakeside Fire Protection District.
Photos Provided By: Fire Chief Ken Kremensky, Barona Fire Department and Todd Welch, Lakeside Fire Protection District, Nathan Price
Video By: Bill Prorok

View 2014 Incident Map in a larger map