A vehicle-sparked cluster of brush fires that blackened 50 acres and forced evacuations of rural homes in eastern San Diego County was 100% contained by Saturday afternoon and its progress was stopped, officials said.
Cal Fire Capt. Robert Johnson said crews left the scene and held the fire to 50 acres. No structural damage or injuries have been reported.
Late Friday morning, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office downgraded the evacuation orders closest to the fires — in an area roughly bounded by Lawson Peak and Wisecarver Truck Trail to the north; Carveacre Road to the east; Lyons Valley Road to the south; and Skyline Truck Trail to the west — to warning status, and rescinded the other orders and warnings, clearing the way for all displaced residents to return to their homes.
Three wildland blazes erupted in close proximity to each other shortly before 6:30 p.m. Thursday in steep, rocky terrain near the intersection of Honey Springs and Lyons Valley roads in Lawson Valley, east of Jamul, Cal Fire said.
Finding pieces of a failed catalytic converter at the fire scene, investigators concluded the exhaust system of an automobile had ignited the blazes, the state agency reported.
Johnson reminded the public how important proper vehicle maintenance is in terms of fire prevention, such as ensuring that towing chains don’t drag on the ground, as that can cause sparks.
Ground crews and personnel aboard water-dropping helicopters were able to halt the spread of the smallest of the fires within 90 minutes, Johnson said. The other two, which soon merged into a single blaze, accounted for most of the size of the combined burn area, Johnson said.
