New East County fire forces evacuations south of Interstate 8

Smoke rising over East County as the Hawick Fire began Photo courtesy of Cal Fire San Diego via Alert California A second East County brush fire broke out Thursday less than miles south of the Monte Fire which crews have been battling for two days Immediate evacuation orders have been issued by the San Diego County Sheriff s Office for the area surrounding the block of Hawick Drive Those fleeing the Hawick Fire should go to the evacuation center at Walmart Camino Canada in El Cajon Warnings also are in place for communities south of Interstate and to the east roughly between Flinn Springs to the north and extending almost to La Cresta to the south HawickFire A brush fire is burning near the block of Hawick Drive in Lakeside An EVACUATION ORDER is in place for the shaded areas in red shown in the maps below It means everyone in the impacted area must leave at once An EVACUATION WARNING is in place for the pic twitter com Qnfo bDTo San Diego Sheriff SDSheriff June Cal Fire San Diego initially commented crews are confronting flames moving at a moderate rate of spread that have consumed acres But Watch Duty a nonprofit utility shared at p m that occurrence command was warning that the blaze was moving at a critical rate of spread