by Fire crews quickly halted the spread of a fast-moving brush fire that erupted in southeast San Diego County around noon Thursday.
The wildfire, which officials have dubbed the
Posta Fire
, sprang up for unknown reasons in the brushland off La Posta Road in Campo, just north of State Route 94 and roughly four miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border, according to Cal Fire. The fire sent billowing plumes of smoke into the air that were visible from miles away.
Within 30 minutes, the fire quickly blackened 15 acres and was heading toward multiple structures. After responding rapidly, however, firefighters were able to slow and then stop its spread as of 1:50 p.m., according to Cal Fire Capt. Robert Johnson. The fire now remains at 20 acres, and no structures are currently under threat.
“The firefighters got on scene quickly,” Johnson said. “They’re aggressively making a fire attack on this fire, and the fire activity has since reduced.”
Fire crews were fighting the fire from the ground and the air, using air tankers and helicopters, according to Johnson.
#PostaFire
A brush fire is burning off La Posta Road north of the community of Campo.
An EVACUATION WARNING is in place for the shaded area in yellow shown in the maps below. Be prepared to evacuate should conditions change.
If you feel you are in danger, GO!
To see maps of…
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At about 1:25 p.m., the San Diego Sheriff’s Office issued an
evacuation warning
for the area surrounding the “critical” fire — around the 2100 block of La Posta Road — indicating “potential threat to life and/or property.”
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The warning advised that anyone in the area who might need additional time to evacuate themselves or their pets should leave immediately, and others should be prepared to evacuate if an order is issued.
The sheriff’s office lifted the warning around 2:50 p.m. after crews successfully kept the wildfire from growing, advising residents of the area that it was safe to return to their homes.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, Johnson said.
City News Service contributed to this report
.
