1:00 PM UPDATE:
CalFire San Diego has tweeted that "due to accurate GPS mapping," the size of the fire has been increased to 59 acres, and containment is now reported at 60 percent. CalFire also tweeted, "Firefighters continue to focus on eliminating hotspots and constructing/improving containment lines."
The agency plans another update at 6 p.m.
Original Story
A slow-moving brush fire that blackened about 50 open acres east of Pala Casino was 40 percent contained Wednesday morning, fire officials said.
The Agua Fire sent thick plumes of smoke over northeastern San Diego County around 2:30 p.m. Tuesday as it began spreading off the 13000 block of state Route 76 in the Pauma Valley area, according to Cal Fire.
Within three hours, the flames had blackened an estimated 50 acres, the state agency reported. By then, crews from several area firefighting agencies had the burn area roughly 10 percent contained.
Containment was about 15 percent as of 9 p.m. Tuesday and 40 percent as of 6 a.m. Wednesday, according to Cal Fire. Two people were evacuated early in the firefight, but both were allowed to return home after about 90 minutes.
About 150 firefighters along with fixed-wing aircraft and water-dropping helicopters were deployed at one point Tuesday, officials said.
"Approximately 100 firefighters have been assigned for day shift (Wednesday) and will continue mopping up and working toward full containment," Cal Fire officials said this morning.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation.
