Banner Fire is 100 percent contained, reports Cal Fire
Update, 9:50 a.m., July 6—The Banner Fire was 100 percent contained today, with a total of two houses and 217 acres burned, firefighters announced.
The blaze erupted shortly after 10:30 a.m. Thursday off State Route 78 in the rural Banner Grade area, Cal Fire Capt. Kendal Bortisser said.
The fire destroyed two homes and an outbuilding, forced the evacuations of about 200 homes and forced the cancellation of the Julian Fourth of July
Parade.
The fire burned for about 71 hours. According to
Cal Fire’s website, 91 fire personnel from four crews fought the fire. Four injuries were reported and crews used five engines to fight the blaze.
Update, 8:20 p.m., July 3—All residents evacuated due to the Banner Fire near Julian can return home, Cal Fire announced.
Update, 4:30 p.m., July 3
—The Banner Fire, off the Banner Grade east of Julian, is 150 acres and 15 percent contained, reports Cal Fire. Approximately 200 homes in Whispering Pines are threatened and evacuations remain in effect for the Whispering Pines and Kentwood areas, the state fire agency said.
Two residences and one outbuilding destroyed, reports Cal Fire.
Caltrans said state Route 78 will remain closed from Wynola Road to County Road S2 (Scissors Crossing) until at least 6 a.m. Friday.
Update, 12:55 p.m., July 3
—Cal Fire reports that the brush fire, dubbed Banner Fire, off Banner Road east of Julian has grown to 100 acres with a moderate to rapid rate of speed. The Whispering Pines and Kentwood areas are under mandatory evacuation, said the fire agency.
Update, 12:30 p.m., July 3
—Evacuations are under way in the Whispering Pines and Kentwood-in-the-Pines areas of Julian due to a 60-acre brush fire, reports authorities. According to the county, evacuations are in progress on Ramona Drive in Whispering Pines.
Julian High School has been set up as a temporary evacuation center.
Original story
—Crews are working from the air and ground to extinguish a 35- to 40-acre brush fire across from 248 Banner Road east of Julian.
Officials are in the process of closing SR-78 between Wynola and San Felipe Road, according to the California Highway Patrol website.
Ramona resident Kim Lasley, who is at Julian High School football field, estimates the fire is about 1 mile east of Julian.
According to Cal Fire, a structure is threatened.
No other information is available at this time.
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