BONSALL (NEWS 8) – Some North County residents on Monday were allowed to return to their home as fire officials lifted mandatory evacuation orders for the Lilac Fire.
The fire destroyed 151 buildings and damaged 56 others.
The owner of Rainforest Flora Nursery took a huge hit. He said the fire went from the highway to the back of the property and blew through like a blow torch – scorching every plant in its path.
The plant nursery did not have fire insurance because they never thought flames would burn through steel.
Also, among those who were able to return home were some of the nearly 800 horses that were evacuated to the Del Mar Fairgrounds.
“[We] went from Bonsall to Oceanside, then from Oceanside down to here. So, these horses were pretty traumatized,” said horse owner, Nancy Diaz.
Not everyone was fortunate during the Lilac Fire. Paul Isley’s Air Plant Nursery in Bonsall, was destroyed by the fire.
The plant nursery had rare species of plants that took years to grow. All of the green houses, now black from the flames.
“What we are looking at here is basically 43 years that it took to build this,” said Isely.
Three families who lived on a property near West Lilac Road lost everything.
“They really did not have much time to reach. They barely made it and they were barely able to make it out with the clothes on their backs,” said Marissa Solis.
Solis said her family lost their cars, clothes and everything else they owned.
A shelter at Palomar College remains open to help those displaced by the Lilac Fire.
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