Recycle Fire Burns 265 Acres In Campo

CAMPO, CA – A rapidly-spreading wildfire scorched 265 acres Wednesday in Campo, injuring a firefighter, prompting evacuation warnings for nearby residents and sending smoke into the air near the U.S.-Mexico border.

The blaze, called the Recycle Fire, sparked around 9:45 a.m. off state Route 94 near Campo Truck Trail, according to Cal Fire. Within 90 minutes, the fire had scorched 25 acres.

By mid-afternoon, the back-country blaze burned 265 acres, according to Cal Fire. A total of 320 personnel, six air tankers and four helicopters fought the flames.

One crew member suffered a minor injury in the fire and was taken to a hospital, Cal Fire Capt. Issac Sanchez said.

As of 3:30 p.m., crews had halted the spread of the fire, which was 5 percent contained, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation warnings for residents along North Campo Truck Trail and La Posa Road were lifted.

La Posa Road was closed between SR-94 and Old Highway 80.

The cause of the blaze – called the Recycle Fire due to its proximity to a rural byway known to locals as "Recycle Road" – was not immediately clear, Sanchez said.