Amid rising temperatures, a brush fire sparked near La Mesa Friday afternoon, burning up a hill near an apartment complex.
The blaze began around 2:15 p.m. in vegetation along the 7000 block of Alvarado Road in an area bordering La Mesa and the College Area.
Fire officials said the fire was burning in light fuel, traveling up a hill at a medium rate of spread. No evacuations were ordered.
About 20 minutes later, firefighters were able to knock out the fire and stop it from spreading to a nearby apartment complex.
Heartland Fire & Rescue officials said motorists should avoid the area for the next two hours as crews remain at the scene mopping up and monitoring hot spots. They said erosion was the main concern as rocks continued to fall down the hillsides.
No one was hurt in the fire and no buildings were damaged, officials said. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
By around 5 p.m., the roadways were reopened and the scene was cleared. Paramedics said the evacuations were precautionary.
