Three brush fires erupted Monday afternoon in close proximity to each other alongside Interstate 8 in the far southeastern reaches of San Diego County, scorching a total of about 40 acres before crews could halt them.
The non-injury blazes broke out for unknown reasons about 4:30 p.m. in rugged open terrain just north of the freeway, near Carrizo Gorge Road in Jacumba, according to Cal Fire.
Ground crews and personnel aboard two air tankers and two helicopters attacked the flames, stopping their spread within two hours, said Kendal Bortisser, a fire captain with the state agency.
The blazes posed no structural threats, he said. It was not immediately clear what sparked them.