Fast-moving wildfire engulfs semi-rural San Diego area

Daily Mail

Retirement communities built on golf courses, thoroughbreds in race horse stables and other usually serene sites were engulfed by flames as Southern California’s wildfires raced towards San Diego on  Thursday night.

Since breaking out on Thursday afternoon in Bonsall, The Lilac Fire has torched 4,100 acres, taking with it 65 individual structures.

They included the Rancho Monserate Country Club community in Fallbrook which Lilac consumed in a matter of hours.   

Three people were burned by the flames as they fled the site, leaving behind their precious belongings. By Friday, the entire community was reduced to smouldering rubble.

Lilac is one of six fires continuing to terrorize Southern California. Combined, they have scorched almost 160,000 acres of land across the state. Three other fires which burned earlier in the week are now contained but continue to blaze.

They were intensified on Friday as Santa Ana winds of up to 60mph whipped the flames.

The first death as a result of the fire was reported overnight in Ventura which has been victim to the monstrous Thomas Fire for four days. The person was found overnight in Ventura County and has not been identified.

Lilac fire broke out Thursday amid dry, hot, windy conditions across the region that would be extreme for any season, but are especially stunning just two weeks from winter.

The fire remained uncontained early Friday although the winds subsided significantly overnight.

Forecasters said they would return later in the day but would be less widespread than on Thursday.

The fire was on the eastern border of the Marine Corps’ vast Camp Pendleton, where base Fire Chief Thomas Thompson told Fox5 San Diego that the lack of wind should help the firefight. Marine and Navy aircraft will join the battle, he said.

Meanwhile, firefighters in Ventura County, northwest of Los Angeles, gained 10 percent containment of the largest and most destructive fire in the state, which has destroyed 430 buildings. The so-called Thomas Fire has grown to 206 square miles (533 sq. kilometers) since it broke out Monday. Fire crews also made enough progress against other large fires around Los Angeles to lift most evacuation orders.

The fire 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of San Diego, driven by winds above 35 mph (56 kph), razed rows of trailer homes in the retirement community, leaving charred and mangled metal in its wake.

It wasn’t immediately known what sparked the fire next to State Highway 76, but strong winds carried it across six lanes to the other side.

Evacuations were ordered in the area near Camp Pendleton and schools and casinos were being used as shelters.

Cynthia Olvera, 20, took shelter at Fallbrook High School.

She had been at her Bonsall home with her younger sister and nephew when her father called from the family nursery to say the fire had reached the gate of their sprawling property.

After starting to drive away, the family turned around to recover forgotten personal documents – but it was too late. Trees were ablaze and flames were within 10 feet (3 meters) of the house.

‘I didn’t think it would move that fast,’ she said.

Her older sister wanted to drive in to save her husband’s car, but Olvera told her: ‘Don’t do it. It’s not worth it.’

Her sister heeded the advice and the family made it safely to the school.

But the flames followed them, and the family had to pack up again when evacuation orders came for Fallbrook High School.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5158901/Homes-horses-burn-newest-California-wildfire.html#ixzz50i7iAsVC
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