A U.S. Forest Service firefighter suffered an injury Friday while battling a 10-acre vegetation fire in the Cleveland National Forest near Alpine.
Crews planned to work through the night to mop up the smoky fire, first reported shortly after 1 p.m. in an area on Japatul and Japatul Valley roads, Cal Fire Capt. Thomas Shoots said.
The firefighter went to an area hospital for treatment, said the U.S. Forest Service’s Anabele Cornejo. One media outlet reported that the firefighter suffered an ankle injury.
Officials dubbed the blaze the Hawk Fire.
.@CALFIRESANDIEGO is assisting @ClevelandNF with a vegetation fire near Japatul Valley Road x Red Hawk Ridge in Japatul Valley. One acre, moderate rate of spread. #HawkFire pic.twitter.com/BIM946ujI3
— CAL FIRE/SAN DIEGO COUNTY FIRE (@CALFIRESANDIEGO) November 27, 2020
Cal Fire assisted the U.S. Forest Service. Cornejo said the Forest Service deployed four hand crews, 18 engines, one helicopter and three water tenders to fight the blaze.
The county Sheriff’s Department issued an evacuation warning, and asked area residents to shelter in place, a spokesman said.
The CHP earlier reported that a large plume of smoke could be seen in the area.
Officials received no reports of structural damage and continue to investigate the cause.
San Diego County is under a wildfire red flag warning until Saturday due to strong winds and low humidity.
U.S. Forest Service firefighter has been injured while working #HawkFire. No official word on extent of injury. He’s conscious and talking, head has been stabilized, also appears to be injury to ankle. #nbc7 pic.twitter.com/r9AOznUSCY
— Artie Ojeda (@ArtieNBCSD) November 27, 2020
— City News Service
Updated at 3:54 p.m. and 10:35 p.m. Nov. 27, 2020