UPDATE: Forward Progress of Fire Stopped, Evacuation Order Still in Place in Immediate Area, Friars Road to Be Closed
As of 1:15 p.m., the evacuation warnings were lifted, while the evacuation order in the immediate area of the fire was still in place. The San Diego Police Department told an ABC 10News producer on the scene that crews stopped the fire’s forward progress. It stands at 1.5 acres and threatens buildings.
Nearly a thousand people are under the mandatory evacuation order.
SDFD says Friars Road will be closed west of State Route 163 for an “extended time” as crews work to mop up the remaining hot spots. SDPD said on X that Linda Vista Road to Genesee Avenue was closed as well.
A vegetation fire ignited in the area of Friars Road in Mission Valley Tuesday afternoon, prompting evacuations nearby. According to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department’s website, the fire was first reported at 12:09 p.m.
More update:
SDPD also confirmed to ABC 10News that officers informed people about evacuations in the area. Specifically, they mentioned Camino Degrazia and apartments at the top of a hill north of Friars Road.
As of 1:42 p.m., officers were still helping SDFD crews at the scene of the fire.
Also, the San Diego County Office of Education announced its Linda Vista campus and Linda Vista Innovation Center were being evacuated.
“If you are en route for appointment or class, please avoid the area,” SDCOE wrote in a statement on X. SDCOE Linda Vista locations will remain closed Tuesday and reopen for regular business hours Wednesday.
Snap Dragon Stadium’s west parking lot acted as a temporary evacuation point, per OES. The address is 2101 Stadium Way, San Diego, CA 92108.
The San Diego Humane Society was at one point under evacuation warning and on “high alert” but did not evacuate, spokesperson Nina Thompson said.
The following resources were sent to battle the fire: 20 engines, three brush rigs, three helicopters and 133 personnel.
So far, the following resources have been sent to battle the fire: five engines, three brush rigs, three helicopters and 55 personnel.
The San Diego Police Department confirmed to ABC 10News they are beginning to inform people about evacuations in the area. Specifically, they mentioned Camino Degrazia and apartments at the top of a hill north of Friars Road.
The Office of Emergency Services has a map showing the evacuation area. Zones in red are under an evacuation order, while the yellow zones are under an evacuation warning.
Maybe some more new safely built homes there could help prevent these fires in that dry tinder void zone according to that map, some concrete sprinklered homes probably would have helped.
Not necessarily if a transformer blew.
Haven’t seen a cause for the fire yet. I cruised Friars Rd about 12:15 that day. I’m thinking now; ’twas a stoner who flicked a roach into the brush then took a nap.