Officials announced at 7 p

Officials announced at 7 p.m. that Steve Rucker, 38, an 11-year veteran of the Northern California Novato Fire Protection District, was overtaken by flames while he was performing structure protection near Wynola, north of Julian.

Also injured were the other three members of his engine company, including Fire Capt. Doug MacDonald, who was burned over nearly 17 percent of his body. MacDonald is hospitalized at UCSD Medical Center along with engineer Shawn Kreps and firefighter/paramedic Barrett Smith, whose injuries were less severe. Both Kreps and Smith are expected to be discharged Thursday.

It was the first firefighter death in the outbreak of fires that have ravaged Southern California this week. Eighteen people have now died in the fires, many of them trying to escape the flames.

The firefighter died while battling the Cedar Fire in San Diego County -- the largest and deadliest blaze in California. It has burned more than 238,000 acres and destroyed at least 1,416 homes.

10/29-3:00pm Lethal battle - Ramona warned of renewed threat
One firefighter dies fighting the Cedar Fire near Julian. Three more are injured, one seriously, as the struggle against San Diego County's worst wildfire continues through a fourth day.