Firefighters Shift Their Efforts to Blaze Near Lake Wohlford

As firefighters wound down their five-day battle against a blaze that ravaged the area around Lake Henshaw, they were called out again Monday afternoon to battle a new fire north of Lake Wohlford.

The blaze began at 2:45 p.m. and had engulfed more than 125 acres about 5 miles northeast of Escondido by 6 p.m. Monday, according to Audrey Hagan of the California Department of Forestry. As of early Monday night, the blaze, battled by 330 firefighters, was 75% contained and was expected to be extinguished by early today.

The fire was caused by a workman operating a metal grinder on a pipe, Hagan said.

As of 6 p.m., the only structures lost were two sheds and a travel trailer, Hagan said.

“The fire directly threatened five to 10 homes and could have threatened 50 to 60 more if it had gone over a ridge,” she said.

Earlier, a mobile home community and restaurant in the Lake Wohlford Resort area were evacuated, according to Irene Snowdon, a nearby resident. Tankers, helicopters, planes and fire trucks were used to battle the blaze, she said. Both ends of Lake Wohlford road were closed at 4:30 p.m.

Residents began returning to their homes about 5 p.m., according to Sgt. Harry Smith of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

Meanwhile, 15 miles to the east, the Lake Henshaw fire was expected to be fully extinguished by 6 a.m. today, according to Hagan. By Monday afternoon it had been fully contained and 60% extinguished, she said.

The blaze, which authorities believe was deliberately set, started last Thursday in the middle of a record-breaking heat wave.