Crews continued working to contain a wildfire that has blackened more than 1.5 square miles of rugged open terrain this week near El Monte County Park and had the task 35% complete Friday.
“Firefighters are working to suppress the fire, which is currently burning with a slow rate of spread. The area with the most active fire remains on the northeast side,” Cal Fire officials said. “Fire crews are concentrating on building and improving containment lines, accomplishing the greatest progress on the south and west sides of the fire perimeter. The north and east sides of the fire continue to be areas of focus for fire line construction.”
The fire, which had spread over an estimated 1,049 acres as of Friday morning, could lead to unhealthy atmospheric conditions in communities surrounding the burn zone, including Alpine, Blossom Valley, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates, and locales around Barona Casino, according to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.
Officials said the fire continued to burn in steep and rocky terrain.
Additionally, fire crews were being flown in by helicopter and dropped off in difficult access areas, where they constructed containment lines on the north and northeast sides.
Crews were expected to remain in the hard-to-reach areas for at least three days.
The blaze, dubbed the Monte Fire, erupted for unknown reasons about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday off the 15000 block of El Monte Road in Lakeside. It has caused no reported structural damage but has left three firefighters with minor injuries.
As the flames spread to the east over rugged terrain below El Cajon Mountain, authorities cleared residents out of rural neighborhoods north of El Monte Road, east of Hazy Meadow Lane, south of Featherstone Canyon Road, and northwest of El Capitan Reservoir.
Evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect; however, there were no structures threatened. An evacuation order was partially lifted in zone SDC-1551, allowing residents to return to their homes, officials said.
A temporary shelter was established for the evacuees at a Walmart store on Camino Canada in El Cajon. A refuge for displaced large animals was in operation at Dianne Jacob Equestrian Park on Moreno Road in Lakeside, and a refuge for small animals was in operation at South Shelter on Sweetwater Road in Bonita.
“In areas with minor smoke impacts, assume that air-quality levels range from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups,” the agency advised. “If you are near the affected communities and smell smoke, it is advised that you limit physical/outdoor activity. If possible, stay indoors to limit your exposure to fine particulate matter and ozone, especially those residents with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children.”
There were 720 personnel assigned to the massive blaze, including 48 engines, 28 crews, and five helicopters, officials said.
–City News Service
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