In the face of fire-friendly weather conditions, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department and crews from other agencies held a fire that sparked near homes in Rancho Bernardo Monday afternoon to 5 acres.
The Escala Fire started on a hillside along Escala Drive in a neighborhood just east of Interstate 15 at around 2:30 p.m. Flames crept up the hillside of the southern-most "mountain" in the Battle Mountian Open Space, toward the freeway and away from homes, thanks to gusts pushing the fire north.
SDFD and several other agencies, including the Poway, Escondido, Rancho Santa Fe and Escondido fire departments, battled the blaze. Close to 100 firefighters responded, including hand crews that hiked the mini mountain to cut containment lines.
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Firefighting helicopters scooped water from Lake Hodges on the other side of the freeway and made several drops over the flames. Fire engines blocked the two right lanes of northbound I-15 causing traffic delays for most of the afternoon.
By 3:30 p.m., most of the active flames were out, according to SDFD, but crews stayed at the scene past sunset. SDFD said a 16-unit condo complex on Caminito Cantilena plus 10 homes in the area were evacuated as an early precaution before the buildings were actually "threatened" by the flames. The evacuations were lifted after 4 p.m.
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The scenario brought back vivid memories for Steve Smith, who dodged the Witch Creek Fire in 2007.
"I was worried it was going to spread because in 2007 it was in Julian, and when I went to sleep — it got here overnight. I knew if the winds picked up it would affect the whole neighborhood," said Escala Drive resident Steve Smith.
Last Wednesday marked the 20th anniversary of the Cedar Fire, which, along with the Paradise Fire and the Otay Fire, killed more than a dozen people and charred 280,000 acres.
SDFD confirmed the Escala Fire started along Escala Drive close to where a construction crew was working on a fire hydrant. The exact cause hasn’t been determined.
A photographer shared footage with NBC 7 of a crew scrambling to open the hydrant a few feet away from what appeared to be a temporary break area along the road. There were foldable camping chairs, portable bathrooms and a handwashing station.
The fire sparked amid elevated fire danger brought on by Santa Ana winds, which bring warmer air over the East San Diego County mountains that dries out brush and drops humidity, especially in inland communities. Shortly after the fire started, an NWS fire station near Rancho Bernardo recorded 11% humidity and winds at around 10 mph, according to NBC 7's Greg Bledsoe. Those wind speeds are manageable in the context of firefighting, especially considering a wind advisory was in effect (possible winds up to 25 mph with gusts up to 50 mph) for much of the county.
The direction of the wind helped push the fire up the hill away from the neighborhood and toward I-15.
Bardia Shahriari, who also lives on Escala Drive, said he had never seen a fire so close. Coincidently, he and his mother created a list of things to pack in case of such an emergency just yesterday.
“I came out and saw the view. I was really scared at first I didn’t know what to do," Shahriari said.
Smith, having come close to tragedy once before, was prepared, too.
“I actually have everything, my valuables, in a box so I put that in my car and then I just waited. I was going to be ready," he said.
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