Areas of San Diego County currently without any fire agency or district to serve them will soon have expanded fire protection and emergency services.
An additional 21,048 acres -- an estimated 148 homes -- will now be in San Diego County Fire territory, the San Diego County Board of Supervisors voted this week. County Fire territory will now cover more than 1.5 million acres of unincorporated San Diego County.
The new areas added to the plan are referred to as "islands" 2, 3 and 4. The areas are bordered by other fire districts, but are not actually covered themselves.
Years ago, these homes were left out of the plan because the land was mostly undeveloped wildland. Now, two of the three areas have homes, but remain uncovered by surrounding fire districts.
An estimated 226 residents live in the 85 homes in Island 2, located off State Route 67 between Ramona, Lakeside, Poway, San Diego and Santee.
Island 3 is located south of Interstate 8 between Alpine, Lakeside, Harbinson Canyon and Flinn Springs. Approximately 229 residents live in the 63 homes in that area.
Island 4, compromised of 5,163 acres of undeveloped land, sits between Chula Vista, Spring Valley and Campo.
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The decision still has to be approved by the Local Agency Formation Commission. If approved, changes may take effect later in 2016.
County Fire launched in 2008 in an effort to better unify and improve emergency fire and medical services.
