San Diego Wildfire Scorches 4,400 Acres; 10 Structures Destroyed

SAN DIEGO COUNTY, CA — Hundreds of firefighters continued to battle a wildfire on Friday that scorched thousands of acres, destroyed structures, sent thousands of people running from their homes and prompted road and school closures in rural eastern San Diego County.

The blaze, dubbed the Border 32 Fire, was about 20% contained as 7 a.m. Friday, according to Cal Fire.

The fire erupted shortly after 2:15 p.m. off Barrett Lake Road and state Route 94 in the Barrett Junction area on Thursday for unknown reasons, according to Cal Fire San Diego. The fire destroyed 10 structures and at least three homes.

Three people were injured in the fire, two critically. Two men suffered severe burns as the fire spread, Cal Fire Capt. Thomas Shoots said. Paramedics airlifted them to UCSD Medical Center in San Diego. A firefighter suffered minor injuries and was treated at the scene before being released to continue battling the flames.

• Previous coverage: Border 32 Fire: 3 Injured, 10 Structures Destroyed, 4,438 Acres Burned

Crews worked by ground and air to subdue the fast-moving blaze as deputies evacuated residents near Barrett Smith and Round Potrero roads. Emergency crews shut down a stretch of state Route 94 between Forrest Gate Road in Campo and Otay Lakes Road in Dulzura, according to the sheriff's officials. Barrett School Road was closed at SR-94.

Schools in the Jamul-Dulzura Union and Mountain Empire Unified school districts will be closed Friday due to the blaze, the county Office of Education advised.

The Tecate Port of Entry also was closed due to the fire, U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported.

View an interactive map of the evacuation area.

Some 1,500 people were evacuated and officials say efforts are being made to have some people return to their homes as soon as possible.

"Repopulation is such a big deal for us such a big deal for the residents. We know that the moment that this smoke kind of dissipates, folks expect to go back home and so part of it's an educational component, let folks know. We're still working hard to do their job to make sure they come to power when they do get home. Everybody's working hard to get them back in there," Shoots said.

By Thursday evening, some of the evacuated residents who live west of Cochera Via Drive and east of Potrero Valley Road were being allowed to return to their homes, according to the sheriff's department.

Those who had to get livestock out of the path of the fire were advised by the American Red Cross to take them to a county animal services shelter in Bonita.

"It's a very different story today," Shoots said shortly before midday Thursday, describing the lessened ferocity of the fire.

The blaze was still actively burning, however, and triple-digit heat, high winds and low humidity levels kept the danger of renewed serious flare-ups high, he said.

In addition to the gutted homes, the known property losses resulting from the fire were six outbuildings -- including barns and sheds -- along with a commercial structure and three recreational vehicles, Cal Fire reported.

Shelters were available at Jamul Casino at 14145 Campo Road in Jamul and Mountain Empire High School at 3305 Buckman Springs Road in Pine Valley. Pets can be taken to Mountain Empire High School, where San Diego Humane Society is providing support at the site. Large animals should be taken to the county's South Animal Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Road in Bonita.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

City News Service and Patch editor Kristina Houck contributed to this report.