Firefighters on Wednesday gained the upper hand on a backcountry brush fire northwest of Mount Laguna, authorities said.
The blaze is off Sunrise Highway near Penny Pines trailhead, according to Cleveland National
Forest officials.
Crews on the ground and in the air stopped the forward rate of spread at nine acres, and the agency reported “good progress in containing the vegetation fire.”
Aircraft dropped retardant to surround the fire’s perimeter while Cal Fire assisted in the effort, officials said.
The blaze has been dubbed the Penny Fire. Officials did not disclose a suspected cause.
The fire comes ahead of what forecasters call “weak to moderate Santa Ana winds” set to begin this evening and last through Thursday. The most persistent winds are expected in the Riverside/San Diego County mountains and eastern valleys, according to the National Weather Service, with elevated fire weather conditions to last through Thursday evening.
Updated 4 p.m. Feb. 26, 2025
