Someone using a weed trimmer sparked a small brush fire in the Alpine area Thursday, the same day the region was on alert with a red flag warning.
The San Diego County Sheriff's Department told residents of three homes to evacuate because of a three-acre brush fire started in the 2100-block of Twisted Oak Lane around 1 p.m.
Residents used everything they had – even milk jugs filled with water – to try and save their home.
Taylor Hoffman said it didn't take too long for the fire to get larger than he could handle.
"Ran up there and started putting out whatever I could and it eventually got too big and the fire people saved our house," Hoffman said.
Flames came within 10 feet of their fence.
Cal Fire said its crews stopped the fire after it had burned two acres of grass in and around homes at Twisted Oak Lane and S. Grade Road.
