SAN DIEGO—A suburban wildfire that charred nearly 20 open acres near Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, forcing thousands of people from their homes as ground and airborne crews worked to quell the flames, was contained on Wednesday, June 26.
No structures were damaged and there were no reports of injuries.
The fire erupted shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Carmel Valley Road and Del Mar Scenic Parkway, at the site of a roughly 1-acre vegetation blaze that crews had subdued earlier in the day, according to police and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
As firefighters battled the re-ignited blaze, authorities evacuated some 2,500 people from homes east of North Torrey Pines Road, north of Carmel Valley Road, south of Del Mar Heights Road and west of Interstate 5. Roughly 1,500 other residents were advised to prepare to clear out of their neighborhoods on short notice.
A temporary shelter for the displaced was in operation in the late afternoon at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
As of 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, ground crews and personnel aboard an air tanker and three water-dropping helicopters had halted the spread of the fire at an estimated 19 acres, according to SDFRD public affairs.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
