Firefighters battled a wind-driven blaze that burned 1,750 acres of tinder-dry brush in a remote mountainous area east of San Diego. The fire, which injured one firefighter, was 5 percent contained as it entered its second day Thursday, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection Captain Matt Streck said.
The fire burned quickly because of drought conditions, which dried out a large amount of brush, Streck said.
"At one point the fire was sending burning embers 1,000 yards in advance of the main fire front," he said. "This makes for very dangerous and difficult firefighting conditions."
Ground crews initially had trouble getting to the steep terrain, but began cutting a line around the fire Wednesday night, officials said.
A state firefighter whose name was not released suffered burns on the ear and hand but the injuries were not life-threatening, officials said.
No evacuations were ordered and homes were not threatened, though the fire was about 1 1/2 miles south of Pine Valley, a hamlet about 40 miles east of San Diego and just north of the U.S.-Mexico border.
Interstate 8, which separates the town from the fire, and other area highways remained open.
The fire began Wednesday at about 1:15 p.m., said Roxanne Provaznik, a spokeswoman for the state fire agency. The cause was under investigation.
