UPDATE: 7:15 p.m. June 3, 2016
The Pala fire grew to 70 acres on Friday after a new fire ignited in the area that was scorched by flames earlier this week, Cal Fire reported. The fire is 30 percent contained.
Earlier Friday, Cal Fire had said the original fire was 95 percent contained. It initially burned 45 acres, but 25 more acres burned Friday. Air and ground crews were attacking it.
Original post
Cal Fire officials ordered new evacuations after brisk winds and summery warmth ignited a small blaze Friday in the smoldering burn area of a 45-acre wildfire that gutted a home and some abandoned sheds earlier this week in the far northern reaches of San Diego County.
The new fire is 25 acres and threatens 70 to 100 structures, Cal Fire tweeted early Friday evening. Officials ordered evacuations for 53 contacts on the east side of Pala Temecula Road, according to the San Diego County Emergency website. A temporary evacuation center is at the Great Oak High School at 32555 Deer Hollow Way in Temecula, the post said.
The latest blaze broke out this afternoon along the edges of the charred swaths of hilly terrain east of Interstate 15 and about a mile south of the Riverside County line, according to Cal Fire. The state agency dispatched ground crews firefighting aircraft to douse the flames.
The wildfire began Tuesday afternoon as a house fire in the 38800 block of Pala Temecula Road. The flames quickly spread into adjacent trees and brush and began moving through thick foliage on surrounding rural lands.
Authorities evacuated about 100 residents in the area of Temepa Road as the fire grew. They were allowed to return to their homes early Tuesday evening, as crews gained control over the flames.
As of this morning, firefighters had the blackened footprint of the largely quelled blaze 95 percent contained, Cal Fire reported.
Three firefighters suffered minor burns while working to extinguish the blaze, officials said.
