What to Know: Bunnie Fire
- 184 acres
- Active threat to structures
- All evacuation orders lifted at 8:20 p.m.
Evacuation orders forced by a brush fire that sparked near homes Wednesday in Ramona have been canceled, according to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
The 184-acre Bunnie Fire was first reported around 11:20 a.m. near Chuck Wagon and San Vicente roads. Ninety minutes later, Cal Fire was saying it was advancing at a "dangerous rate of spread." A very large plume of smoke hovered above the fire, clearly visible for miles around.
The fire was 30% contained Thursday morning and crews continued to work to ensure hot spots were tempered.
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Progress was made around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday when officials said that, although personnel had yet to establish any containment of the blaze, firefighters had slowed its spread "significantly" but cautioned that the blaze was still active and that a threat to structures persisted.
An evacuation order was first announced shortly after 12:30, sheriff's department saying it was in place along portions of San Vicente Road south of Creelman Lane and just past Wildcat Canyon Road. The order was lifted at 8:20 p.m.
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Portions of San Vicente Road and Wildcat Canyon Road were closed for much of the day. Wildcat Canyon reopened at around 5 p.m. and San Vicente reopened to Ramona residents only at around 8:20 p.m., the sheriff's department said.
Very large flames could be seen consuming the small trees, chaparral and brush covering the hillsides, all abundant after the big spring and winter rains in San Diego County.
As of 12:30 p.m., just one structure was threatened, according to Cal Fire.
Ground crews were on the scene, and firefighting aircraft — likely based at the Ramona Air Attack Base nearby — dropping retardant and water battled the blaze, which is in fairly hilly terrain with large amounts of fuel for it to spread.
"We have air resources based out of Ramona and Gillespie [Field, in El Cajon]. so very short flight time for them," Cal Fire Capt. Michael Cornett said at a news conference at around 2:30. "Those are the air tankers and helicopters. We also sent a large ground-resource request in from all over the county, including San Diego city, some from North County, Forest Service and San Diego County Fire Department."
Cal Fire usually names brush fires for nearby geographic locations; in this case, likely for Bunnie King Lane, which is off San Vicente Road.
This is a developing story. Refresh this page for the latest information.
