Fire Burning Near Ramona Scorches 173 Acres, Prompts Evacuations

SAN YSABEL, CA — Firefighters were battling a blaze along Highway 79 in San Ysabel Saturday afternoon that prompted evacuations and temporarily closed part of the highway, officials said.

The blaze, which was reported around 11:30 a.m., had burned 173 acres with 0 percent containment by 4:30 p.m. Highway 79 reopened to one-way traffic around 4 p.m.

The fire was threatening homes on School House Canyon Road, where residents were being evacuated, Cal Fire said on Twitter. Deputies from the San Diego County Sheriff's Department were helping residents to evacuate nearby homes that were threatened by the growing blaze.

One firefighting helicopter developed engine failure and safely made a precautionary landing. All air tankers were released or put on hold. No structures were damaged.

A motor home had caught on fire along Highway 79, north of Highway 78, and the fire spread into vegetation, Cal Fire San Diego said.

At 12:14 p.m., Caltrans San Diego said northbound and southbound SR 79 was closed from state Route 76 to Mesa Grande Road.

Previously, it was reported that the fire had jumped to 222 acres.

"The jump in acreage is due to a more accurate assessment of the fire's perimeter from the air- fire spread has been minimal in the past hour," Cal Fire San Diego said on Twitter.

The City News Service contributed to this report.