Containment of the 61-acre Border 18 Fire near the East County community of Dulzura, in Marron Valley, increased to 75% Sunday, officials said.
”Firefighters are strengthening containment lines and continuing to locate and extinguish remaining hot spots within the fire’s perimeter,” Cal Fire San Diego said shortly before 10 a.m.
The blaze began shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday along Marron Valley Road, not far from the U.S.-Mexico border. A second-alarm response and four additional air tankers were requested by the incident commander at 3 p.m.
By 3:20 p.m., the estimated acreage grew to 50 acres, according to radio traffic from the incident commander. Firefighters were focused on clearing a containment line of vegetation around the perimeter of the fire. Air tankers, bulldozers, engines, trucks, water tenders and hand crews from throughout the region were responding.
At 6:50 p.m., fire officials reported good progress at clearing a line of vegetation around the flames, growing containment to 50%.
Two injuries were reported from the scene. An ambulance was called to respond to someone with a scorpion sting and another with a knee injury, according to radio traffic.
The cause of the fire was not known.