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Lilac Fire destroys more than 100 buildings
Horses that survived the Lilac Fire in their stalls are loaded onto a trailer in the early morning hours of December 8, 2017 near Bonsall, California.
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David McNew/Getty Images
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The Lilac Fire burning in northern San Diego County held steady at 4,100 acres overnight. Firefighters had it 20 percent contained by Saturday morning, an improvement from Friday afternoon, when the fire was 15 percent contained.
Fire authorities said favorable weather conditions helped stop the spread of the fire. A Red Flag Warning will remain in effect until Sunday night but crews are expected to continue making progress. Cal Fire said their next update will come at 7pm on Saturday.
Since breaking out Thursday in the backcountry of the Bonsall-Fallbrook area, the Lilac Fire has destroyed 105 structures and damaged 15 more. It threatened another 1,500 as it continued to burn into the weekend.
Teams from Cal Fire and the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services have begun inspecting damages. They say the numbers of buildings confirmed to be damaged or destroyed will likely change.
A Cal Fire incident management team assumed command of the fire on Saturday morning, joining forces with the Oceanside Fire Department, Vista Fire Department, North County Fire Protection District and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
On Friday afternoon, evacuation orders were downgraded to evacuation warnings for many areas but remained in place for others. Old Highway 395 between W. Lilac Rd. and Highway 76 is closed in both directions.
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Two firefighters and four civilians have been injured by the fire. The cause of the fire is not yet known.
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