Firefighters Battle Growing Blaze Near U.S.-Mexico Border

A fire spreading through the wilderness of San Diego County near the U.S.-Mexico border exploded to more than 500 acres within several hours on Thursday night. But the blaze, known as the Border 2 fire, was miles from any structures or homes, and firefighters said they were making progress controlling it.

Firefighters were dispatched to the area just before 2 p.m. local time and were trying to slow its spread with the help of air tankers and helicopters, said Capt. Robert Johnson of Cal Fire, the state’s fire agency. Roughly 200 firefighters were going to work through the night, he added.

The fire was burning through the Otay Mountain Wilderness, a remote area with steep and rocky terrain, Captain Johnson said. That makes it harder to access on the ground, he said, but also provides a much-needed buffer between the flames and populated areas.

Still, officials in Chula Vista, a city roughly five miles west of the blaze, said their Fire and Police Departments were monitoring the fire as some residents anxiously watched the orange glow and smoke billowing in the distance.

“The Police Department has positioned extra officers in specific locations of the city to monitor the situation and be available for immediate assistance should evacuations become necessary,” the city said in a statement, adding that it was “not meant to be cause for alarm.”

The smoke column was plainly visible across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, though the fire was not currently threatening to cross the international line, Cal Fire said. Should that change, Cal Fire says it has a liaison in place with its Mexican counterparts to help with firefighting efforts.

Officials estimated that the nearest structures to the fire were in an industrial neighborhood abutting the border called Otay Mesa, roughly two miles southwest — still a safe distance, Captain Johnson said.

Crews were facing roughly 25-mile-per-hour winds blowing to the southwest, according to Cal Fire.