SD General Fire

BANNER GRADE (CNS) - Crews working to extinguish a wildfire that has blackened nearly 1,200 open acres in remote, rugged terrain southeast of Julian over the last four days had the burn area 90 percent contained today, authorities reported.

There is no known structural damage as a result of the fire. Four firefighters have suffered minor injuries while working the lines.

Recreational shooting sparked the blaze south of state Route 78 and east of state Route 79 in the Banner Grade area about noon Sunday, according to Cal Fire.

The roughly 1,190-acre conflagration -- dubbed the General Fire due to its proximity to a landmark general store in the area -- was centered several miles from the site of the nearly 2,800-acre San Felipe Fire.

The larger blaze erupted Thursday afternoon in desert territory north of Scissors Crossing, when Cal Fire lost control of a prescribed burn due to unexpected wind shifts.

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