A fire scorched 187 acres of sun-baked open terrain Thursday in the far east reaches of San Diego County.
The blaze erupted for unknown reasons shortly before 12:30 p.m. off the 15400 block of county Highway S-2, near Rainbow Canyon Trailhead in the Agua Caliente area of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, according to Cal Fire.
The flames briefly threatened some rural structures before firefighters were able to subdue that flank of the blaze, said Mike Cornette, a fire captain with the state agency.
By about 3 p.m. it had consumed 87 acres and was up to150 acres, at 5% containment, an hour later, Cal Fire reported on X.
Ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters were fighting the flames, which were burning on both sides of the highway, Cal Fire reported.
The remote area is roughly located east of the midpoint between Julian and Descanso.
By Friday morning, the fire was fully mapped at 187 acres and containment had reached 50%.
Cal Fire said crews were strengthening control lines, mitigating hazards, and providing fire suppression repair.
Updated 7:05 a.m. May 31, 2024
