Coyote Fire details as of 8 p.m. Friday
- Size: 466 acres
- Containment: 41%
- Location: Coyote Holler Road, Potrero
- Evacuation orders: Horizon View Drive, Ranch Road, Coyote Holler Road, Round Potrero Road, Yerba Santa Road and Hartley Hill Road
- Road closures: Round Potrero Road between Yerba Santa Road and Potrero Valley Road; Potrero Valley Road between Potrero Park Drive and Round Potrero Road
- Evacuation point: Mountain Empire High School at 3305 Buckman Springs Rd., Pine Valley, CA 91962
- Help with livestock and animals: San Diego County Animal Shelter at 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita CA 91902
Cal Fire San Diego is fighting a brush fire in Potrero, near the U.S.—Mexico border dubbed the "Coyote Fire" that started burning with a dangerous rate of spread before changing to a "moderate rate of spread" later Thursday afternoon.
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The fire was reported at around 12:11 p.m. on Coyote Holler Road.
As of 8 p.m., Cal Fire reported the fire had burned 400 acres — the same as about three hours earlier — and was 5% contained. One structure and one outbuilding were destroyed in the flames, Cal Fire added.
The agency also said structures in the area of Horizon View, Round Potrero Road and Yerba Santa Road were immediately under threat.
Two air tankers were en route from San Bernardino to help contain the fire, SDSO said. Additional resources are being deployed to the area of Yerba Santa Road, Cal Fire posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.
One firefighter was injured battling the fire but had a minor injury and has since been released from the hospital. Cal Fire San Diego told NBC 7.
Road closures:
Round Potrero Road is closed between Yerba Santa Road to Potrero Valley Road.
Evacuation orders were in place for the area:
The streets under evacuation are Horizon View Drive, Ranch Road, Coyote Holler Road, Round Potrero Road, Yerba Santa Road and Hartley Hill Road, the San Diego County Sheriff's posted.
Many homes spaced far apart could be seen within the map of evacuation orders in the area.
The Mountain Empire Unified School District has voluntarily evacuated Potrero Elementary School out of an abundance of caution and to ensure the availability of school buses and safe transport routes near the fire, according to the Sheriff's Department.
For safety reasons, all schools in the Mountain Empire Unified School District will be closed on Friday, Aug. 18, the San Diego County Office of Education posted on X on Thursday night.
Temporary Evacuation Point:
There is a temporary evacuation point at the Mountain Empire High School parking lot located at 3305 Buckman Springs Rd., Pine Valley, CA 91962.
Animal and livestock owners who have been evacuated from the area can take their animals to the San Diego County Animal Shelter located at 5821 Sweetwater Rd. in Bonita. Animal owners are urged to "drive carefully around deputies and firefighters in the fire area."
The mountains and deserts have been experiencing some mild weather as a heat advisory was in effect for the mountains and an excessive heat warning was in effect for the deserts until 8 p.m. Thursday.
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