A fire broke out on the hillside near Gilman Drive and Via Alicante in La Jolla Thursday afternoon, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, leading to quick evacuations.
As crews battled the spread of flames over about one acre at around 2:30 p.m., authorities evacuated homes in the 3100 block of Bremerton Place, the 8500 block of Sugarman Drive and the 8400 block of Via Mallorca, according to police and fire officials.
All evacuation orders and warnings were lifted before 4 p.m. as crews stopped the forward rate of spread on the fire after it had burned two acres. Road closures will stay in effect as firefighters remain on scene.
Evacuees had been asked to gather in a parking lot northeast of 9420 Athena Circle. An evacuation warning had been issued for areas to the west of the fire, stretching roughly from Birch Aquarium on the north down to a portion of La Jolla’s Coastal Walk Trail, then ranging east near Mount Soledad.
The fire was described as taking place among an area of brush with medium fuels and with a moderate rate of spread. There were no early reports of structural damage.
UC San Diego reported that “there is no immediate threat to campus,” but asked people to steer clear of the busy area off Gilman, Villa La Jolla Drive and La Jolla Village Drive as firefighters mop up.
Firefighters also were dealing with a remote South Bay blaze Thursday, which burned roughly 140 acres a half-mile west of Doghouse Junction in the Otay Wilderness Area as of about 3:55 p.m.
CalFire San Diego described the blaze as having “a dangerous rate (of) spread.” Officials had estimated that the Border2 Fire had the potential to spread to about 200 acres.
It exceeded that by 5 p.m., growing to 228 acres, then more than doubled by about 7:45 p.m., expanding to 566 acres. There is 0% containment.
The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office reported that Alta Road is closed to traffic just south of Otay Mesa Road due to the blaze.
There were no known structural threats, according to CalFire.
The latest fires come on the heels of multiple small fires that have begun locally during the latest round of red-flag conditions in San Diego. The latest burned approximately seven acres in Rancho Bernardo Wednesday, a fire that also temporarily forced residents from their homes.
#Border2Fire [update] The fire is now 566 acres and is 0% contained. pic.twitter.com/D344kJgRI9
— CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire (@CALFIRESANDIEGO) January 24, 2025
– City News Service contributed to this report.
Updated 8:05 p.m. Jan. 23, 2025
