SAN DIEGO — Firefighters continued working Wednesday to subdue a wildfire that had spread to over 1,300 open acres in the rural southeastern reaches of San Diego County, threatening back-country neighborhoods and cultural relics while forcing hundreds of people from their homes.
As of Wednesday morning, the fire was 50% contained according to Cal Fire.
For more updates on containment of this fire, visit the Cal Fire Incident page: McCain Fire.
The blaze erupted at about 3:30 p.m. Monday when a car overturned and caught fire on Interstate 8 near McCain Valley Road in Boulevard, north of Jacumba Hot Springs, according to Cal Fire.
The flames spread into rugged, rocky, brush-covered terrain on the north side of the freeway, moving toward nearby De Anza Springs Resort, said Mike Cornette, a fire captain with the state agency.
As firefighters battled the blaze on the ground and aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters, authorities closed the westbound lanes of the freeway in the area and cleared a total of 144 people out of threatened homes, most of them on the grounds of the resort on Carrizo Gorge Road, Cornette said. A temporary shelter for the evacuees was in operation at Golden Acorn Casino in Campo.
As of Wednesday, the fire was about 50% contained and had caused no reported structural damage, though it had moved to within less than a mile of some residences.
The only known injuries stemming from the emergency were suffered by the motorist involved in the crash that sparked the blaze. Medics took that person to a hospital for treatment of moderately serious trauma, Cornette said.
In the mid-afternoon Tuesday, authorities rescinded the evacuation order pertaining to De Anza Springs Resort, though residents near the burn zone were advised to remain ready to clear out of their neighborhoods should the fire become an imminent threat again.
The fire prompted a smoke advisory for the southeastern reaches of the San Diego area, the county Air Pollution Control District advised.
Among the threats posed by the conflagration involved potential damage to historic and culturally significant Native American artifacts, including wall art, according to Cal Fire. It remained unclear Tuesday afternoon whether any of the antiquities had been harmed by the blaze.
Evacuations
Update: 7/3 at 2:15 p.m.
All evacuation warnings have been lifted for De Anza Springs Resort and nearby areas, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
Photos | Fire crews battle McCain fire burning in Boulevard
WATCH RELATED: Fire crews battle brush fire in Boulevard near I-8
WATCH RELATED: How to know when it's time to go during a wildfire:
Prepare for a Wildfire evacuation
CalFire has built a list of things to have ready in case you and your family are evacuated during any wildfire or disaster.
Ensure your wildfire ‘Go Bag’ includes:
- A 3-day supply of non-perishable food & 3 gallons of water per person
- A map with at least 2 evacuation routes
- Necessary prescriptions or medications
- A change of clothes & extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
- Extra car keys, credit cards, cash, or traveler’s checks
- A first aid kit & sanitation supplies
- A flashlight & battery-powered radio with extra batteries
- Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
- Pet food & water
Always have sturdy shoes and a flashlight near your bed, ready for sudden night evacuations.
If time allows, consider adding:
- Valuables that are easy to carry
- Family photos and irreplaceable items
- Personal computer data on hard drives and disks
- Chargers for cell phones and laptops