Wildfire In Ramona 60% Contained; Evacuation Orders Remain

RAMONA, CA — Firefighters made significant progress overnight on a wildfire in Ramona, increasing containment as crews continued working to secure the burn area Thursday.

The Creelman Fire remained at 347 acres and was 60% contained as of 7:25 a.m., according to Cal Fire.

Crews worked through the night strengthening containment lines with the help of night-flying aircraft. Firefighters will continue to extinguish hot spots, improve containment lines and mitigate hazards throughout the fire area Thursday, officials said.

The blaze broke out shortly before 3 p.m. Wednesday in the 300 block of Creelman Lane. The fire spread quickly, eventually burning 347 acres, threatening homes and prompting evacuation orders and road closures.

By Wednesday evening, firefighters had increased containment to 20% as crews continued suppression efforts from the air and ground.

As of Thursday morning, evacuation orders remained in place for zones SDC-1242, SDC-1243, SDC-1244, SDC-1245 and SDC-1247. An evacuation warning remained in place for zone SDC-1241.

A shelter was established at Olive Peirce Middle School at 1521 Hanson Lane in Ramona. Pets were welcome. Large animals were being accepted at Ramona Rodeo at 421 Aqua Lane in Ramona.

There were 300 personnel assigned to the fire, along with 42 engines, six water tenders and two dozers.

The cause of the fire remained under investigation.

Also see:

• Wildfire Burns Hundreds Of Acres, Forces Evacuations In Ramona
• Ramona Fire: See Creelman Fire Perimeter, Evacuation Map
• Smoke From Creelman Fire Prompts Air Quality Advisory For Parts Of San Diego County