OTAY MESA, San Diego — Firefighters worked throughout the weekend to reach 100% containment on a fire of unknown origin that charred 448 acres in Otay Mesa, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department. The acreage of the fire was reported earlier in the weekend at 490 but was updated Sunday.
The fire was fully contained as of 8 a.m. Sunday with a crew still checking for hot spots, according to SDFRD. The agency also said a helicopter crew would do flyovers Sunday to also check for hot spots.
The fire started just before noon Thursday off the 5300 block of Airway Road near Caliente Avenue and moved east, The fire at the pallet yard was extinguished at about 3 a.m., according to SDFRD.
The blaze dubbed the Caliente Fire first burnt brush near apartments, San Ysidro High School and Brown Field airport before moving east towards several businesses in an industrial area.
Chopper 8 and News 8 footage showed large flames engulfing the property of a business called Moreno Pallets on Cactus Court.
Stacks of wooden pallets along with several vehicles burned as propane tanks exploded.
All evacuation orders were lifted and all roads were open in the area by Thursday evening. No injuries were reported and no structures were lost, according to SDRFD.
The San Diego Red Cross established a temporary evacuation point at San Ysidro High School located at 5353 Airway Road, in response to the Caliente Fire. Red Cross volunteers were there to assist those displaced.
During the blaze, the Brown Field Border Patrol Station was evacuated by SDFRD "out of an abundance of caution."
Due to the fire, SDFRD closed off all access to the main arteries connecting to the Cross Border Xpress terminal. By Thursday evening, Cross Border Xpress terminal had been reopened in a directions.
Southwestern College Center in Otay Mesa was evacuated due the fire. Classes were cancelled at that location for the evening. The school doesn’t typically hold classes on Fridays and school officials said they would continue to monitor for Saturday, according to Lillian Leopold the Chief Public Information Officer.
State and federal firefighters helped city crews extinguish the blaze. Ground personnel were aided by four water-dropping helicopters and two air tankers dispensing fire retardant.
Due to the sooty particulate matter being sent into the atmosphere by the fire, the Air Pollution Control District of San Diego County advised those close enough to smell the smoke to stay indoors until the flames are under control and the skies clear.
The cause of the fire was unclear.
