Friday Updates on San Diego Fires

As San Diego awakens to a fourth day of brush fires burning in the county, officials are updating the fires still threatening homes

As San Diego enters a fourth day of devastating fires burning in the county, officials are offering updates on the blazes still threatening homes.

Crews continued to battle multiple fires Friday, days after the outbreak of flames peaked at nine separate fires. In all, more than 10,00 acres have been scorched. The bulk of those blazes burned in the North County.

Weather appears to be helping those on the ground fighting the fires with a shift in winds and a drop in temperatures.

"The Santa Ana is dying a quick death as the onshore flow kicks-in bringing us cooler, more moist air from off the ocean," said NBC 7's Whitney Southwick. "The bad news is it will take another couple days to fully make the switch."

Click Here for Map of Wildfire Activity and Open Shelters

Cocos Fire in San Marcos:

  • 50 percent contained as of 9:50 p.m. Friday
  • 2,520 acres burned
  • 1,500 structures still threatened as of 9:50 p.m. Friday
  • 3 homes destroyed per Cal Fire
  • 3 injuries
  • Cause under investigation
  • Cocos Fire Information Line: (562) 708-9631
  • Officials lifted evacuation order for residents on the westside of Via Vera Cruz, including neighborhoods of Lake San Marcos and residences to the east up to Via Vera Cruz.
  • Residents who live in the Del Dios Corridor and Mt. Israel areas may return to their homes
  • Entry points into the neighborhoods listed above will be through Rancho Santa Fe, from the southwest and Discovery Street to Via Vera Cruz from the north.
  • Mandatory Evacuations are REMAIN in PLACE for these locations: The neighborhoods of Discovery Hills, Discovery Meadows, San Elijo Hills, Oak Creek Ranch, Coronado Hills and residents living north and west of West Valley Parkway between Via Rancho Parkway and Highway 78.
  • Click for Map of Escondido Evacuations
     

Poinsettia Fire in Carlsbad (renamed "San Diego Complex" Fire):

  • 90 percent contained as of 6:30 p.m. Friday
  • 400 acres burned
  • 8 single family homes were destroyed or damaged, 3 other homes sustained minor damage, an 18-unit apartment building was destroyed, an 18-unit apartment building was damaged, 2 commercial buildings destroyed/substantially was damaged, 1 modular building was destroyed
  • Started in the area of El Camino Real and Poinsettia Lane
  • At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, all evacuations were lifted
  • As of Friday morning, there were three points where Carlsbad Police Department was still controlling access to residents for safety reasons: Black Rail Poinsettia, Black Rail Sapphire and Poinsettia Brigantine
  • Estimated damage at $22.5 million and counting
  • The Carlsbad Police Department has established a Tip Hotline for the Poinsettia Fire. If you have any information regarding the origin of the fire or suspicious activity or persons who may be involved with the starting of the fires, please call (760) 602-7599 or email PoinsettiaFire@carlsbadca.gov
     

Tomahawk Fire near Camp Pendleton:

  • 65 percent contained as of 7:55 p.m. Friday
  • 6,500 acres
  • No homes damaged; 2 uninhabitated storage sheds burned
  • Started at Naval Weapons Station- Fallbrook
  • Eight Marine Corps CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters, seven CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopters and four UH-1Y Huey helicopters assisted in the fight on Wednesday
  • One firefighter suffered from heat exhaustion and was treated

Las Pulgas Fire on Camp Pendleton:

  • 40 percent contained as of 9 p.m. Friday
  • 15,000 acres
  • Evacuation orders in effect for Camp Las Pulgas, Camp Margarita, Camp Las Flores Area and 32 Area
  • Las Pulgas gate remains closed

Talega Fire on Camp Pendleton (now renamed San Mateo Fire, per officials):

  • 800 acres
  • 25 percent contained as of 9 p.m. Friday
  • Evacuations ordered for all personnel in the 62 Area, San Onofre Housing Area and School of Infantry West (SOI-W).
  • By 9 p.m. Friday, the evacuation order for San Onofre Housing residents had been lifted. Residents in the San Onofre Housing Area 1, 2 and 3 were allowed to return to their homes.
  • Meanwhile, evacuation orders for Camp San Mateo (62 Area), The School of Infantry-West (52 Area), Camp Las Pulgas (43 Area), Camp Las Flores (41 Area), Camp Margarita (33 Area), Marine Air Support Squadron 3 (32 Area) and Camp Vado Del Rio (25 Area) remained in effect Friday night. Shelter in place orders for Camp Horno (53 Area), Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton (24 Area) and Camp Chappo (22/23 Area) also remained in place.
     

Highway Fire in Bonsall, Fallbrook area:

  • 95 percent contained as of 9:50 p.m. Friday
  • 386 acres
  • No homes destroyed or damaged
  • Started: Old Hwy 395 north of White Lilac
  • Heavy fuels have not burned since Gopher Canyon Fire (1970)

River Fire in Oceanside:

  • 105 acres - 100 percent contained as of Thursday
  • Fire contained to riverbed

Bernardo Fire:

  • 90 percent containment, as of 7:40 a.m. Friday
  • 1,548 acres
  • 50 structures were threatened
  • Started: Nighthawk Lane, southwest of Rancho Bernardo
  • 3 injuries per Cal Fire
  • Evacuations lifted
     

Meanwhile:

Escondido High School, 1435 N. Broadway in Escondido: 102 people

Mission Hills High School, 1 Mission Hills Court in San Marcos;115 people

Calavera Hills Community Center, 2997 Glasgow Drive in Carlsbad: 15 people

La Costa Canyon High School, 1 Maverick Way in Carlsbad: 10 people

Palomar College closed, commencement ceremony postponed for Monday May 19, 5 p.m.

CSUSM Commencement Ceremonies have been rescheduled to Sat., May 24 & Sun., May 25.

All San Diego Superior Courthouses are open

UC San Diego classes will continue as scheduled.

UC San Diego Health System hospitals and clinics also remain open 

Palomar Medical Center – 2185 Citracado Parkway, Escondido
All hospital and emergency services are fully operational. The emergency room and trauma service is OPEN and OFF bypass; accepting patients as normal. All elective surgeries have been cancelled for today. Inpatient surgeries will continue as scheduled, or as needed. 

Palomar Health Downtown Campus – 555 East Valley Parkway, Escondido
All hospital and stand-by emergency services are fully operational. All elective surgeries have been cancelled for today. Inpatient surgeries will continue as scheduled, or as needed.

Pomerado Hospital – 15615 Pomerado Road, Poway
All hospital and emergency services are fully operational.

Expresscare Health Clinic San Elijo Hills – 1571 San Elijo Road South, San Marcos
This location will be closed today. All other expresscare health clinic locations are fully operational (Rancho Penasquitos, Escondido, Temecula).

Palomar Health at San Marcos – 120 Craven Road, San Marcos
This location will be closed today. Palomar Health services in this facility include rehabilitation, wound care, diabetes health and corporate health.

Residents should NOT seek shelter at area hospitals unless immediate medical attention is needed.

Residents who evacuated with large animals can take them to Cloverdale Ranch, 2460 Cloverdale Road, in Escondido. Warner Ranch in Pala and Oceanside Ivy Ranch have closed after receiving no animals.

Resources are available to all residents who may need recovery information through the County’s recovery website at sdcountyrecovery.com.

Residents in need of information can call 211

Refresh this page for updates. NBC 7 News crews are working continuously to bring you updated information as soon as we get it.

Special Section: San Diego's May Firestorm

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