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Public Safety

San Diego County Updates Fire Evacuation Plans

San Diego County emergency officials say they've upgraded evacuation plans after many people ignored orders to leave their homes during deadly wildfires two years ago.

Sheriff's Lt. Ed Musgrove says new equipment was bought to fix communication problems that hindered coordination between agencies in fighting the fires.

The county created a regional evacuation plan with possible shelters and evacuation routes. It also has a system to contact people by phone in an emergency.

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Fires in 2003 and 2007 killed more than two dozen people and burned thousands of homes.

Last year a grand jury examining lessons learned from the wildfires issued a report describing the county as "woefully unprepared" for another large blaze.

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