Cross-border brush fire scorches 1,000 acres in U.S., prompts evacuation warnings
Border 6 Fire
- Location: Near Dulzura
- Size: 1,000 acres in U.S., 5% contained
- Evacuations: Zones SDC-2544, SDC-2545, SDC-2605, SDC-2643, SDC-2644, & SDC-2645
- Overnight shelter: Spring Valley Community Center, 8735 Jamacha Blvd, Spring Valley, CA 91977
A cross-border brush fire that erupted Monday in remote, rugged terrain near Tecate Peak continued spreading Tuesday, scorching hundreds of open acres and prompting evacuation warnings as ground and airborne crews worked to contain the flames.
By Wednesday morning, the blaze roughly 30 miles southeast of downtown San Diego had blackened an estimated 700 acres on the northern side of the U.S.- Mexico line in the Dulzura area and remained fully uncontained, according to Cal Fire. More than 500 acres have burned in Mexico, officials said.
Around 5 p.m. officials issued evacuation warnings for Zones SDC-2544, SDC-2545, SDC-2605, SDC-2643, SDC-2644, & SDC-2645 on the Genasys Evacuation Map seen in the image below (beige areas). People living in those areas should prepare to evacuate, but people who need extra time or with animals should evacuate now, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department said.
SDSO originally was sending evacuees to Steele Canyon High School, but at 6:30 p.m., the temporary evacuation point was updated to the western portion of the parking lot at the Edwards Cinema in Rancho San Diego at 2983 Jamacha Road.
The American Red Cross also opened an overnight shelter for evacuees and their pets at the Spring Valley Community Center at 8735 Jamacha Blvd, Spring Valley, CA 91977.
Authorities advised residents of the nearby Engineer Springs community to prepare to clear out of their homes on short notice if the flames kept spreading to the east toward their back-country neighborhoods.
About 4:30 p.m., Cal Fire officials said the “fire activity has significantly increased and is running in alignment with the wind and slope.”
Video shot by SkyRanger 7 showed an enormous plume of smoke and ash looming over the landscape.
Ground crews had to labor over a rocky, mountainous landscape while battling the blaze along with personnel in air tankers and water-dropping helicopters, said Mike Cornette, a fire captain with the state agency.
As of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, the burn zone remained fully uncontained, Cal Fire reported. A little under an hour later, Cal Fire officials said they had requested a second night-flying firefighting helicopter, which may indicate crews may be in for a long night. Later in the evening, though, the request was canceled; just the single chopper is working the fire this night.
Officials have also issued a smoke advisory to those near Tecate, in Mexico, and in the remote San Diego community of Campo, warning them about the unhealthy air.
“In areas of heavy smoke near the fire, assume that air quality levels are unhealthy for sensitive groups to unhealthy for all individuals,” the advisory said. “In areas with minor smoke impacts, assume that air quality levels range from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups.”
Anybody with respiratory or heart disease, as well as the elderly and children, are being urged to stay indoors if possible.
The cause of the blaze, which erupted south of Marron Valley Road at about 2 p.m. Monday, was under investigation.
Check back here for updates on this breaking-news story — Ed.
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
