As fire crews continued to battle the Sage Fire in Jamul Sunday, authorities revised the acreage burned from 83 to 39 and attributed the earlier figure to pilot error.
“It was Friday night at 8 p.m. when we turned it over (the fire) to U.S. Fish & Wildlife Services. At that time, the fire was 75% contained at 39 acres. The 83 acres from the Intel from the aircraft was an error,” Cal Fire PIO Captain Brent Pascua told City News Service on Sunday.
The blaze was first reported at about 1:50 p.m. Thursday at Highway 94 and Vista Sage Lane, according to Cal Fire San Diego. Some evacuations were ordered as the flames spread, but fire crews were quickly able to slow the blaze and the orders were lifted by Thursday evening.
No injuries or structural damage were reported.
Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornett said crews on the scene Friday had a line around the fire, and were handling clean-up duties. He added that some light rain on Friday helped reduce the fire threat. Earlier, the blaze “burnt hot and fast, and then they were able to just stop it,” Cornett said.
Pascua added: “The fire burned just like a fire in mid-summer would burn, meaning tall flame lengths, fast moving and moonscape terrain left behind by the fire when all was said and done. This is a good example of why we can’t let our guard down in San Diego in regards to wildfires and having defensible spaces around our homes.”
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Cornett said the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the U.S. Forest Service sent firefighters to assist Cal Fire.
City News Service contributed to this article.