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Public Safety

Wildfire in Boulevard area 60% contained

A map showing the location of a wildfire near Black Wood and Old Mine roads, several miles north of Interstate 8 in the Boulevard area.
Cal Fire San Diego County Fire Protection District
A map showing the location of a wildfire near Black Wood and Old Mine roads, several miles north of Interstate 8 in the Boulevard area.

The Black Wood Fire was 60% contained today after burning 37 acres southeast of Pine Valley, prompting evacuations and destroying an outbuilding before ground and airborne crews were able to control the flames.

At 9:49 a.m. Wednesday, Cal Fire San Diego tweeted that crews would remain on the scene to strengthen control lines and extinguish hot spots.

The blaze erupted shortly after 11:30 a.m. Tuesday near Black Wood and Old Mine roads, several miles north of Golden Acorn Casino in the Boulevard area, according to Cal Fire.

Ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters fought the flames, which were moving to the northeast amid gusty conditions, said Thomas Shoots, a fire captain with the state agency.

"Certainly wind is the biggest factor in (the spread of) this fire," Shoots said Tuesday.

Authorities cleared people out of about a half-dozen structures near the burn area, Shoots said.

As of 1 p.m., the blaze had grown to about 30 acres, Cal Fire reported. As of shortly before 4 p.m. Tuesday, firefighters had halted the spread of the burn area at about 37 acres, according to the state agency.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

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