Forward progress was quickly stopped on a fast-moving brush fire climbing a hillside west of the 163 freeway near the 8, which prompted evacuation alerts as it threatened structures.
The blaze erupted shortly after noon on the north side of Friars Road, across the street from the Fashion Valley mall, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
The fire, charring 15 to 20 acres near Friars Rd. and Avenida de las Tiendas, forced a closure of a portion of Friars Rd. and billowed smoke as it threatened structures.
Police shut down a stretch of the busy roadway and cleared people out of nearby structures as crews on the ground and in water-dropping helicopters fought the fire, which was quickly climbing steep slopes toward a bluff-top condominium complex.
Winds pushed the smoke into the University Heights and Normal Heights area, briefly blanketing the area like fog.
There were no reports of structural damage or injuries.
This story was updated on Weds., Jan. 22, 2025, at 7:22 a.m.. City News Service contributed to this report.
