More than 346,000 homes evacuated near San Diego

SAN DIEGO — More than 346,000 homes have been ordered evacuated in San Diego County as wind-fueled wildfires across Southern California destroyed more than 1,300 homes and showed no signs of slowing today.

With the number of homes ordered evacuated, more than 750,000 people could easily have fled since the wildfires began over the weekend in San Diego County.

The number of people joining the mandatory exodus there was expected to grow throughout the day as more communities were put on standby to leave as several fires burned a path toward the sea — through populated communities.

“It’s basically a mass migration here in San Diego County,” Luis Monteagudo, a spokesman for the county’s emergency effort. “The numbers we’re seeing are staggering.”

Authorities placed reverse 911 calls to the San Diego County homes because of wildfire danger, according to sheriff’s spokeswoman Jan Caldwell. The total number of homes evacuated could be much higher, and state officials were still struggling to estimate how many people had fled.

Elsewhere, more than 200 homes burned in the San Bernardino County communities of Lake Arrowhead and Running Springs along with another 1,100 homes, businesses and other buildings in San Diego County, fire officials said.

As dawn broke on the third day of the fires, the toll mounted as authorities issued new evacuations in San Diego, Orange and San Bernardino counties.

It was taking a human toll, too, with one dead in San Diego County. There were 42 injuries reported throughout Southern California, including at least 16 firefighters.

The University of California San Diego Medical Center Regional Burn Center was treating 16 patients from the San Diego County fires, including three firefighters and four others in critical condition.

Marilee Bishop of Running Springs and her 10 year-old-daughter Erica rubbed their red eyes Tuesday morning as they woke up in a Wal-Mart parking lot where they spent the night after evacuating.

“No one ever expects something like this to happen to them,” said Bishop, who rescued eight of her friends’ cats and four pet frogs before evacuating from the mountains.

Erica Bishop, her eyes filling with tears, hugged her mom as thick smoke rose in the skies behind them.

“This was really scary,” the daughter said.

The wildfires were spreading so quickly that even hotels serving as temporary shelters for fire evacuees were, themselves, evacuated.

Guests clutching pillows, pets and personal belongings swarmed out of the Doubletree hotel in Del Mar, just north of San Diego, after employees called each room to tell customers they had to leave. One guest wondered aloud whether there was any safe place left to stay, but Wanda and Paul Tomkinson took their latest evacuation orders in stride.

With some 245,957 acres, or 384 square miles, ablaze, President Bush declared a federal emergency for seven Southern California counties, a move that will speed disaster-relief efforts.

Fire crews and fleeing residents described desperate conditions that were sure to get worse. Temperatures across Southern California were about 10 degrees above average and were expected to approach 100 degrees today in Orange and San Diego counties with sustained Santa Ana winds that were expected to gust in some areas up to 65 mph.

The fires were exploding and shooting embers before them in all directions, preventing crews from forming traditional fire lines and greatly limiting aerial bombardment, he said.

Thousands of residents sought shelter at fairgrounds, schools and community centers. The largest gathering was at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, where evacuees anxiously watched the stadium’s television sets, hoping for a glimpse of their neighborhood on the local news.

Bruce Fowler, whose home in the Scripps Ranch neighborhood survived fires in 2003, was among them, hoping he would get lucky a second time.

“Every couple of years, you don’t want to go through this worry,” Fowler said as he watched a stadium television and sipped root beer. “I never thought I’d be in a place like this, getting handouts.”

San Diego County was ablaze from its rural north to its border region with Mexico, where the wildfires that started late Saturday claimed their only fatality to date: Thomas Varshock, 52, of Tecate, a town on the U.S. side of the border southeast of San Diego. His body was found Sunday afternoon, the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office said, although no other details were made available.

In the northern part of the county, 500 homes and 100 businesses had been destroyed as a wildfire exploded to 145,000 acres and marched toward the Pacific Coast enclave of Del Mar, forcing a partial evacuation. The so-called Witch Fire was about 12 miles from the coast early Tuesday. Another 500 buildings were destroyed in Fallbrook in the Rice Fire, which began today.

Public schools were closed, as were campuses at the University of California, San Diego and San Diego State University.

At Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, about 40 aircraft that included F-18 fighter jets, C-130 cargo planes and Marine helicopters were evacuated to other bases in California and Arizona.

The scope of the infernos was immense and was reminiscent of the blazes that tore through Southern California four years ago this month, killing 22 and destroying 3,640 homes.

As the fires spread, most out of control, smaller blazes were merging into larger, more fearsome blazes.

The winds — which sweep through Southern California’s canyons in fall and winter — are stronger than normal, turning already parched scrubland into tinder.

Amid the chaos and destruction, California officials pleaded for help.

The Department of Defense agreed to send six Air Force and Air National Guard water- or retardant-dropping planes Tuesday to aide the massive firefighting effort after a request by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Touring an evacuee camp at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, the governor pledged to do everything in his power to assist the firefighting effort and help those who have lost their homes.

“I will be relentless all the way through this,” Schwarzenegger said.

Full containment of the most fierce fires in San Diego, officials estimated, could come as early as Nov. 1.

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Local News

Customers enter and exit the Costco on Dec. 2, 2022, in Lake Stevens. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Costco stores could be impacted by looming truck driver strike threat

Truck drivers who deliver groceries and produce to Costco warehouses… Continue reading

Two Washington State ferries pass along the route between Mukilteo and Clinton as scuba divers swim near the shore Sunday, Oct. 22, 2023, in Mukilteo, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Ferry system increases ridership by a half million in 2024

Edmonds-Kingston route remains second-busiest route in the system.

Alina Langbehn, 6, center, and Vera A., 6, right, sit on a swing together at Drew Nielsen Neighborhood Park after school on Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2025 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett council votes to renovate Drew Nielsen Park

Construction on the $345,000 upgrade could start as early as this fall.

Northshore School District bus driver Stewart O’Leary pictured next to his buses shattered drivers side windshield on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025 in Bothell, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
‘Put me in, coach’: Bus driver back at work after struck by metal bar

Stewart O’Leary, a Northshore employee, has received national attention for his composure during a frightening bus trip.

Lynnwood councilor Joshua Binda speaks during a Lynnwood City Council meeting on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Does the Lynnwood Council VP live in Lynnwood? It’s hard to say.

Josh Binda’s residency has been called into question following an eviction and FEC filings listing an Everett address. He insists he lives in Lynnwood.

Robin Cain with 50 of her marathon medals hanging on a display board she made with her father on Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in Lake Stevens, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Running a marathon is hard. She ran one in every state.

Robin Cain, of Lake Stevens, is one of only a few thousand people to ever achieve the feat.

People line up to grab food at the Everett Recovery Cafe on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Coffee, meals and compassion are free at the Everett Recovery Cafe

The free, membership-based day center offers free coffee and meals and more importantly, camaraderie and recovery support.

The Everett Wastewater Treatment Plant along the Snohomish River on Thursday, June 16, 2022 in Everett, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Everett water, sewer rates could jump 43% by 2028

The rate hikes would pay for improvements to the city’s sewer infrastructure.

The bond funded new track and field at Northshore Middle School on Thursday, Oct. 24, 2024 in Bothell, Washington. (Courtesy of Northshore School District)
Northshore School District bond improvements underway

The $425 million bond is funding new track and field complexes, playgrounds and phase one of two school replacements.

An American Robin picks a berry from a holly tree on Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 in Edmonds, Washington. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Calling all birders for the annual Great Backyard Bird Count

The Audubon Society will hold its 28th annual Great Backyard… Continue reading

A view of one of the potential locations of the new Aquasox stadium on Monday, Feb. 26, 2024 in Everett, Washington. The site sits between Hewitt Avenue, Broadway, Pacific Avenue and the railroad. (Olivia Vanni / The Herald)
Initial prep work for AquaSox stadium to start, with $200k price tag

The temporary agreement allows some surveying and design work as the city negotiates contracts with designers and builders.

Aaron Kennedy / The Herald
The Joann Fabric and Crafts store at 7601 Evergreen Way, Everett, is one of three stores in Snohomish County that will close as part of the retailer’s larger plan to shutter more than half of its stores nationwide.
Joann store closure plan includes Everett, Arlington, Lynnwood locations

The retail giant filed a motion in court to close approximately 500 stores in the U.S.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.