Banner Fire Fully Contained; Blaze Started by Equipment 'Mishap'

Crews battling a wildfire that blackened about 5,300 open acres east of Julian got the sprawling burn area fully contained Tuesday.

Some type of equipment mishap sparked the conflagration early Thursday afternoon in the Cigarette Hills area, near Banner Grade and southwest of Scissors Crossing, according to Cal Fire. The agency declined to specify what type of apparatus started the blaze, citing ongoing investigations.

Hundreds of crew members fought the so-called Banner Fire, which caused no reported structural damage, by ground and air as it spread rapidly, pushed by strong easterly winds.

Within 90 minutes of the start of the blaze, authorities evacuated about 100 Shelter Valley-area homes potentially in the path of the flames. The displaced residents were able to return to their houses about six hours later.

On Friday, sheriff's personnel cleared about 50 people out of Stagecoach Trails RV Park & Resort when the fire flared up while moving to the southeast through Shelter Valley.

Crews finished the job of surrounding the burn zone late Tuesday morning, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler said.

Four firefighters suffered minor injuries, including heat exhaustion, cuts and bruises, while attacking the flames, according to Schuler.

--City News Service