Sawday Fire Near Ramona 70 Percent Contained

RAMONA, CA — A rapidly-spreading brush fire broke out Friday morning near the community of Witch Creek in San Diego County that scorched nearly 100 acres, prompted evacuations, briefly shut down state Route 78 between Ramona and Julian, and sent smoke across the region.

The blaze, called the Sawday Fire, sparked on Sawday Truck Trail and Littlepage Road, Cal Fire San Diego reported. Smoke was spotted shortly after 9:20 a.m. near SR-78 and Old Julian Highway, according to the California Highway Patrol's incident log.

The blaze burned at a "critical rate of spread," according to Cal Fire. As of Saturday morning, the blaze was 70 percent contained.

Evacuations

Sheriff's officials went door-to-door evacuating homes. As of 6 p.m. Friday, all evacuation orders had been lifted.

An evacuation order was issued for the following streets:

• Sawday Truck Trail
• Littlepage Road
• Littlepage Lane
• Old Julian Highway
• Creek Hollow Drive
• Creek Hollow Road

A temporary evacuation point was established at Ramona Rodeo Grounds at 421 Aqua Lane in Ramona.

Road Closures

Eastbound and westbound SR-78 was initially closed between Third Street in Ramona and Old Julian Highway but later reopened, according to Caltrans. There was still no access to Old Julian Highway from SR-78.

Roads were closed at Littlepage Road and Old Julian Highway between SR-78 and Vista Ramona.

As of 6 p.m., all road closures have been lifted.

Fire Weather

A San Diego Gas & Electric camera captured a plume of smoke rising over the mountains in east Ramona. Strong winds were blowing smoke from the fire into the Poway, Rancho Bernardo and 4S Ranch areas of the county.

The fast-moving blaze sparked amid unseasonably hot temperatures and strong Santa Ana winds in San Diego County. A red flag warning remains in effect until 5 p.m. Friday in the mountains and valleys.

Related: SDG&E Shutoffs: Nearly 19,000 Without Power In San Diego County

Due to the fire weather conditions, SDG&E shut off power to nearly 19,000 homes and businesses in the region, including thousands in the Ramona area.

Also see: Miller Fire North Of Escondido Forces Evacs In Valley Center

Shortly after crews halted the spread of the Sawday Fire, another fire sparked in Valley Center, north of Escondido. The Miller Fire burned 37 acres, damaged one home and destroyed three outbuildings, according to Cal Fire.