Evacuation orders were lifted for homes near a 25-acre brush fire burning off southbound Interstate 15 near Gopher Canyon Road, Cal Fire officials confirmed. Some lanes of I-15 were closed as crews battle the blaze, which is now 25 percent contained.
The fire, which broke out around 3 p.m. Monday in Bonsall, was composed of two fires burning toward the west; combined, the fires are being called the Gopher Fire. The fire was located 13 miles north of Escondido.
The blaze began as three to five acres, but quickly grew to 25 acres.
Residents in three homes near the Lawrence Welk Resort in unincorporated San Marcos area were ordered to evacuate.
Sabrina Domingue saw the flames and immediately went to her kids.
"I look out our kitchen window and all I see is just a huge wall of flames," she said.
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Domingue said that from her point of view, it looked like their neighbor's home was on fire. She described the scene as "unreal" saying she's never seen anything like is so close to her home.
"We've always known that that could happen out here and you're prepared but when it really happens, you wonder 'Am I really that prepared'," she said.
Domingue, whose husband Craig Domingue is also a firefighter, said she was proud of the crews who were battling the flames. Her husband was off-duty when the fire sparked.
"I've never been in a situation like this at my own home," he said, thanking the firefighters as well.
Evacuation orders were lifted around 10:30 p.m., Cal Fire officials said.
