Buildings north of Campo threatened by rapid bushfire

On Monday, crews battled a fast-spreading brush fire that threatened buildings near the rural East County community of Campo.

The fire had reached an area of ​​around 350 hectares shortly before 7 p.m. “The firefighters are making good progress. Fire activity has decreased significantly,” the agency said on X, formerly Twitter.

A few hours earlier, Cal Fire Capt. Robert Johnson said the fire was spreading quickly as firefighters battled it from the ground and air. More than 40 firefighting crews were deployed to the fight, including fire engines and trucks and several aircraft, Johnson said.

“It’s rocky, hilly terrain,” Johnson said.

The fire occurred on La Posta Road north of Campo. The first report was made around 12:30 p.m. In the afternoon, the temperature reached 30 degrees on the nearby boulevard, with wind gusts of up to 30 km/h reported. The wind was blowing east, he said.

Residents on both sides of Interstate 8 west of the boulevard were under evacuation orders and evacuation warnings, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Office. People seeking shelter were directed to a temporary evacuation point at the Golden Acre Casino at 1800 Golden Acorn Way in Campo.

The sheriff's office said Monday evening that the following roads were closed:

• Old Highway 80 from Kitchen Creek Road to Crestwood Road; And
• State Route 94 from La Posta Road to Old Highway 80.

The county's Air Pollution Control District issued a smoke advisory Monday evening for the extreme areas of southeast San Diego County, including the communities of Boulevard and Live Oak Springs.

Originally published: October 7, 2024 at 3:20 p.m