Adobe Falls Fire: Interstate 8 Shuts Down As Crews Battle Blaze

SAN DIEGO, CA -- A fire broke out Sunday afternoon in a canyon near San Diego State University in the neighborhood of Del Cerro, forcing the evacuation of nearby homes and shutting down Interstate 8.

The blaze, dubbed the Adobe Fire, was reported shortly after 4 p.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. By 8 p.m., the fire grew to to 38 acres but was 85 percent contained.

The fire was as close as 10 feet from the westbound lanes of the freeway, dispatchers were told.

As firefighters worked to battle the blaze, officers evacuated 80 homes on Adobe Falls Road, the San Diego Police Department said. By 8 p.m., the evacuation was lifted.

A portion of Interstate 8 between Waring Road and 70th Street/Lake Murray Boulevard was also closed due to dense smoke in the area. College Avenue at Alvarado Road was also closed, police said.

Several Twitter users posted photos of the plumes of smoke that filled the sky.

The fire is one of several to erupt this weekend in Southern California. In Orange County, a fire burned hundreds of acres between Aliso Viejo and Laguna Beach, forcing the evacuation of thousands of homes.

Smaller wildfires were also reported in Riverside County.

--City News Service contributed to this report/Photos courtesy of baepril‏ and DeLeon Brown