Pasqual Fire Now 60 Percent Contained

SAN PASQUAL VALLEY, CA -- Fire officials Sunday announced a wildfire, which erupted Friday near the San Diego Zoo Safari Park and scorched 365 acres, is now 60 percent contained. Crews will remain in the area through the weekend, setting lines of containment around all the charred terrain and making sure all hot spots are snuffed out, said Cal Fire Capt. Issac Sanchez.

As of 5:53 p.m. Saturday, all evacuation orders were lifted, CalFire officials said.

The blaze started for unknown reasons off the 17000 block of state Route 78 in the San Pasqual Valley shortly before 1:30 p.m. Friday, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

Within 90 minutes, the blaze had burned across more than 200 acres, forcing residential evacuations and the shutdown of part a rural highway, as ground and airborne crews scramble to corral the fast-moving flames.

By 7:30 p.m. Friday the fire's progress was halted and most of the active flames were doused, Cal Fire reported.

As the flames spread rapidly to the southeast, authorities shut down state Route 78 between Bandy Canyon and Ramona Highlands roads as a safety precaution and to expedite the firefighting operations in the rural area. State Route 78 is expected to remain closed between Bandy Canyon and Haverford roads until further notice, according to Cal Fire and state transportation officials.

Sheriff's deputies cleared people out of homes potentially in the path of the fire. Vacated areas include neighborhoods along Via Cuesta; Via Vista Grande; Prestige Street; Day Star Way; Oak Grove, Rancho Villa, Rangeland, Rustic Villa and Weekend Villa roads; and Cinque Terre, Corniglia, Highland Hills, Horizon View and Rio Maggiore drives.

So far, the blaze has not caused any structural damage or injuries.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

--City News Service/Photo via Shutterstock