Fire Threatens Homes, Forces Evacuations In Rainbow Area Of San Diego County

RAINBOW, CA — A fire burning Wednesday in the Rainbow area of northern San Diego County threatened homes and prompted evacuation orders for nearby residents as firefighters worked to contain the blaze, officials said.

As of 12:38 p.m., crews halted the forward rate of spread at 35 acres. The fire was 5% contained.

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The blaze, dubbed the Rainbow 3 Fire, was reported around 10 a.m. along Rainbow Crest Road in the unincorporated Rainbow community, near Mordigan Lane and Gomez Greek Road, according to Cal Fire San Diego.

Crews from Cal Fire and North County Fire Protection District were battling the blaze.

By 11 a.m., the blaze had grown to 20 acres and was spreading at a moderate rate, Cal Fire said. The fire threatened about 10 homes.

"The fire is burning in steep and rocky terrain, mostly influenced by topography," Cal Fire officials said. "Structures are still threatened."

The San Diego County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation order for areas marked in red on an evacuation map, requiring residents in those areas to leave immediately. An evacuation warning was also issued for nearby areas, advising residents to be prepared to evacuate if conditions worsen.

An evacuation order was issued for Zone SDC 0111, according to Cal Fire. An evacuation warning was issued for Zone SDC 0110.

An evacuation center was established at Seventh Day Adventist Church at 1200 Old Highway 395 in Fallbrook.

The fire sparked amid a heat wave in the region. An extreme heat warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Monday for the county deserts, while a heat advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. Monday for the inland valleys and mountains, according to the National Weather Service.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Also see:

• Dangerous Heat To Grip San Diego County Through Monday