{"id":420333,"date":"2026-08-01T02:23:14","date_gmt":"2026-08-01T02:23:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/420333\/"},"modified":"2026-08-01T02:23:14","modified_gmt":"2026-08-01T02:23:14","slug":"evacuations-ordered-amid-forest-fire-in-cleveland-national-forest-near-lake-henshaw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/420333\/","title":{"rendered":"Evacuations ordered amid forest fire in Cleveland National Forest near Lake Henshaw"},"content":{"rendered":"

What to KnowAcres: 170Evacuation orders and warnings issued. For a map, click here<\/a>Temporary evacuation point: 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way in Valley CenterRoad closures: East Grade Road at Highway 76<\/p>\n

A wildfire spread through Cleveland National Forest near Lake Henshaw Friday afternoon, blackening dozens of acres and prompting evacuation orders, warnings and closing a highway in the rural area.<\/p>\n

The fire, dubbed the Grade Fire, erupted about 1:30 p.m. Friday off the 25700 block of East Grade Road, north of state Route 76 and just west of Lake Henshaw in Santa Ysabel, according to Cal Fire.<\/p>\n

The Grade Fire closed East Grade Road at Highway 76 to all vehicle traffic, except emergency personnel.<\/p>\n

By about 5 p.m., evacuation orders and warnings had been issued for areas around the fire. For a map of those areas, click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

A temporary evacuation point has been set up at 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way in Valley Center.<\/p>\n

Ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters attacked the flames, which were moving to the northeast, federal forestry officials reported.<\/p>\n

As of 4 p.m., the fire began burning at a dangerous rate of spread, according to the state agency.<\/p>\n

It was not immediately clear what sparked the blaze.<\/p>\n

This is a developing story and will be updated as new information arrives.<\/p>\n

#GradeFire<\/a> If you live in the Lake Henshaw area, be aware of increased law enforcement and firefighting activity. A brush fire is burning near East Grade Road near Lake Henshaw and Highway 76.<\/p>\n

An EVACUATION ORDER is in place for the shaded area in red shown in the map below. It\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/VOzMj5VPW9<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) August 1, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

For the rest of this evening and into tonight, the expectation is for fire crews to work on establishing containment lines, with a focus on firefighter safety. pic.twitter.com\/54aCBl8uFG<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Cleveland NF (@ClevelandNF) July 31, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

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