McCain Fire Grows To 1,000 Acres, 5% Contained In East County

SAN DIEGO, CA — Crews worked overnight to contain a wildfire that scorched hundreds of acres and prompted evacuations in rural southeastern San Diego County.

The blaze, called the McCain Fire, broke out at 3:34 p.m. on westbound Interstate 8 at McCain Valley Road, near Boulevard, according to Cal Fire. The fire started as a vehicle fire that spread to nearby brush.

As of Tuesday morning, the fire has burned 1,000 acres and was 5% contained, according to Cal Fire.

"Firefighters took advantage of the low fire intensity last night and made progress in containing the fire," Cal Fire said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

• Previous coverage: Wildfire Burns Hundreds Of Acres, Forces Evacuations In East County

Crews have battled the flames on the ground and aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters, Cal Fire said. A total of 223 firefighting personnel, 14 engines, seven crews, four helicopters, two water tenders, two dozers and 10 other resources were assigned to the fire.

On Monday, authorities evacuated DeAnza Springs Resort, an RV campground in Jacumba Hot Springs.

Evacuation orders were also issued for Zones SDC-2335, SDC-2336, SDC-2337 , SDC-2411. Evacuation warnings were issued for Zones SDC-2487, SDC-2412, SDC-2413.

A shelter opened Monday night at the Golden Acorn Casino at 1800 Golden Acorn Way in Campo. Members from the American Red Cross provided food and supplies, according to the county.

By Tuesday afternoon, evacuation orders were lifted and reduced to a warning.

"It means, people who evacuated can return home, but are strongly reminded to remain ready to leave if fire conditions change," the San Diego County Sheriff's Department said on X. "If you need extra time to evacuate, you are advised to stay clear of the area. The evacuation warning will remain in place and will be reassessed as conditions change."

The fire shut down all westbound I-8 lanes west of Carrizo Gorge, but the left lane has since reopened to traffic, according to Caltrans. The right lane remains closed.

A smoke advisory was issued for the southeast part of the county, including areas east of Boulevard and north of Titus, according to the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District.

• Also see: Wildfire Smoke Prompts Smoke Advisory For Parts Of San Diego County

"While much of this area is sparsely populated, smoke will continue to affect residents, visitors and travelers moving through this area today," the air district said Tuesday. "The smoke is expected to blow toward the northeast through Tuesday morning and toward the east-northeast Tuesday afternoon."