Grove Fire Scorches 50 Acres East of Palomar Mountain

SUNSHINE SUMMIT, CA — A fast-moving brush fire blackened hundreds of acres in northeastern San Diego County Wednesday afternoon, sending smoke billowing over the region and prompting evacuations.

The blaze dubbed the Grove Fure is burning in hilly, rural terrain. It broke out about 1 p.m. in the Sunshine Summit area, north of Oak Grove and east of Palomar Mountain, according to Cal Fire.

Within four hours, the flames had charred roughly 400 acres as ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters worked to halt the spread of the blaze, which was growing in a southeasterly direction, said Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette.

As of late afternoon, sheriff's deputies were directing some residents living closest to where the blaze was burning to clear out of their homes and advising others in neighborhoods farther away to prepare to evacuate on short notice if necessary, sheriff's officials said. A temporary shelter for the displaced was in operation at Warner Springs High School.

As of shortly before 6:30 p.m.. no structural damage had been reported.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries while working to corral the blaze, according to Cornette.

The cause of the fire was not immediately clear, though there had been reports of lightning in the area shortly before it erupted, Cornette said.

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City News Service and Patch Staffer Paige Austin contributed to this report.