1000 structures threatened in Border Fire, evacuations in effect
Fox 5
POTRERO – “A wildfire that blackened 6,500 acres of mostly open land near Potrero in the far southern reaches of San Diego County and prompted widespread evacuations was 15 percent contained Wednesday. In the hours after the so-called Border Fire erupted for unknown reasons near state Route 94 and SR-188 late Sunday morning, authorities evacuated the entire community of Potrero. As flames spread across thick chaparral and other dry vegetation north of Tecate Junction Monday, the order was expanded to include the communities of Canyon City, Cowboy Ranch, Dog Patch, Forest Gate and Star Ranch.Then on Tuesday, Lake Morena Village, a rural community northwest of Campo, and sections of the Pacific Coast Trail were also cleared out of residents, according to Cal Fire. Although the extreme heat has eased up somewhat, Cal Fire officials said steep terrain, extremely dry vegetation due to years of drought, difficult access and low humidity were continuing to produce “erratic fire behavior, thus hampering control efforts.”
