Crews working to get lines of control around the smoldering remnants of a brush fire that blackened scores of open acres and forced evacuations in Ramona this week had the burn area nearly one-third surrounded Thursday morning.
As of 7 a.m. Thursday, firefighters had the footprint of the roughly 185-acre blaze in the area of Barnett Ranch County Preserve about 30% contained, according to Cal Fire.
The fire, which caused no reported structural damage, erupted for unknown reasons shortly before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday off San Vicente Road, about a mile south of Ramona High School, Cal Fire reported.
With the flames spreading over hilly terrain toward rural neighborhoods, deputies cleared people out of homes closest to the burn zone, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.
Residences were evacuated along dozens of roadways near Wildcat Canyon Road, and people living in areas surrounding those spots were advised to be prepared to leave their neighborhoods on short notice if necessary.
Authorities established a temporary shelter for the evacuees at Olive Peirce Middle School on Hanson Lane.
By a little after 3 p.m., ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters had halted the spread of the flames, Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette said.
One firefighter was treated in the field for heat-related trauma. The blaze resulted in no other reported injuries, Cornette said.
As of 8:20 p.m., all the evacuation orders and warnings in Ramona had been lifted. San Vicente Road was open again to through traffic about an hour later, according to the sheriff’s department.
— City News Service
