Updated at 4:54 p.m. PDT May 2, 2021
CAL FIRE has updated size of the Southern Fire near Shelter Valley 8 miles southeast of Julian, California, reporting at 2:35 p.m. Sunday that it had burned 5,184 acres.
As seen in the photo below taken at 4:43 p.m. Sunday four miles away from Monument Peak, the fire from that distance looks pretty quiet.
Resources assigned to the fire include 20 engines, 8 water tenders, 10 hand crews, and four dozers, for a total of about 200 personnel.
10:00 a.m. PDT May 2, 2021
The Southern Fire in East San Diego County 8 miles southeast of Julian, California has prompted the evacuation of about 500 people and destroyed three structures in Shelter Valley. The residents were relocated from the Butterfield Ranch Campground to Agua Caliente.
At 9:43 a.m. Sunday there was a relatively small amount of smoke visible from Monument Peak which is near Mount Laguna.
At about 9 a.m. PDT Sunday morning CAL FIRE reported that the Southern Fire had burned 2,900 acres. (See map above.) Firefighters battled strong 40 to 60 mph winds during the night, and according to the forecast the weather is going to continue to be a challenge.
A wind advisory is in effect for San Diego County for strong winds through Sunday night. In the fire area the wind is predicted to increase from 23 mph gusting to 36 at 11 a.m. out of the west and west-southwest, to 32 mph gusting to 47 by 5 p.m. It will then gradually decrease by 6 a.m. Monday to 12 mph gusting to 20 out of the northwest. The high temperature on Sunday will be 77 degrees with a minimum relative humidity of 27 percent. The humidity will increase Sunday night to 40 to 55 percent.
Five miles west of the fire and 2,000 higher in elevation at Harrison Park, Cuyamaca State Park, and Julian, low clouds have increased the humidity to 100 percent.
Since the fire was reported at about 4 p.m. on Saturday, it has been spreading generally to the east and southeast.
