Follow up:
More than 50 homes were threatened by a hillside fire Sunday afternoon northeast of Santee, with many residents “self-evacuating” what authorities called an active firefight.
About 12 acres were burned in an area above Crazy Horse Drive near Morning Dove Road in the Eucalyptus Hills area of Lakeside. Oak Creek Drive was closed to traffic until a little after 4 p.m., according to the Sheriff’s Department.
Cal Fire spokesman Capt. Mike Mohler said the blaze began about 2:30 to 3 p.m., but its cause was still being investigated.
Some 100 firefighters were dispatched to the scene, and air drops were being made ahead of a containment effort.
Mohler said the fire burned some fences, but didn’t reach homes. Early response by residents and aircraft kept the fire from razing homes, and some residents stayed behind, he said.
He said the blaze was heading north in the afternoon, but winds could shift later Sunday, and he expected the “active firefight” would continue into Monday.
U-T San Diego reported the fire had the potential to damage 50 to 100 acres, “but crews responded quickly enough to contain the fire completely by 4:30 p.m.”
