SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — Several hundred firefighters have been battling a growing brush fire in northern San Diego County that started on Friday, and evacuation warnings are in place for nearby residents.
As of 10 a.m. on Saturday morning, the Henderson Fire had burned 300 acres and was 15% contained, according to Cal Fire San Diego.
Nearly 300 firefighters, with assistance from airtankers, were able to make progress on the fire overnight Friday while the fire behavior was minimal, Cal Fire reports. Extra firefighters and equipment were requested to help battle the fire Saturday that is burning in steep and rugged terrain near the Pala Reservation.
The Henderson Fire is burning along the 35000 block of Henderson Road, north of Highway 76 in Pala, at a moderate rate of spread in grass and brush.
The fire started around 5:45 p.m. Friday at around 5 acres and grew to nearly 60 acres by 7 p.m.
By 7:20 p.m., the fire had escalated to 145 acres. Within 30 minutes, Cal Fire San Diego said the fire was at 182 acres and 0% contained, and most active on the eastern flank.
Saturday afternoon, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department updated all evacuation orders that were in place to evacuation warnings for nearby residents in Pala near the Pala Shooting Range. View those areas here.
A temporary evacuation point for San Diego County residents has been set up at the Pala Resort & Casino parking lot at 11154 Hwy 76 in Pala.
The Red Cross is assisting with a Care and Reception Center that has been set up for Riverside County residents at Temecula Valley High School, located at 31555 Rancho Vista Road in Temecula, after some residents in southern Riverside County were under an evacuation warning Friday night into Saturday.
Due to the brush fire, CHP Oceanside has closed parts of Henderson Road and Pala Mission Road, and SR-76 at Magee Road.
The North County Fire Protection District that serves the communities of Fallbrook, Bonsall and Rainbow posted they sent a unit to assist with the Pala fire and issued a smoke advisory for the region.
