'I wasn't sure we'd get out.' Lakeside rancher was first to report Monte Fire

Crews worked for a second day on Wednesday to contain a brush fire that had blackened an estimated 868 open acres near El Monte County Park.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, firefighters had the blaze, dubbed the Monte Fire, about 25% surrounded by firebreaks, according to Cal Fire.

"One of the main priorities of a fire incident commander, not only on this fire but on all fires, is to allow residents to return to their houses," Cal Fire Capt. Robert Johnson said. "So, fire engines are focusing on mopping up hotspots around residences that may be in or near the fire's perimeter. And then once it's safe to do so, we can get those residents back to their houses."

The blaze erupted for unknown reasons at about 2:30 p.m. Tuesday off the 15000 block of El Monte Road in Lakeside, next to Brenna Drake's ranch. She was alerted to the fire by a passerby and called 911.

"(I) immediately got out and started trying to get a hose and realized that it wasn't going to happen, so I started evacuating my horses down to the other side of my property," Drake said. "And the sheriffs came by and started helping me move them."

As the fire spread to the east over rugged terrain below El Cajon Mountain, authorities cleared residents out of rural neighborhoods north of El Monte Road, east of Hazy Meadow Lane, south of Featherstone Canyon Road and northwest of El Capitan Reservoir.

The flames quickly blew up from around five acres to more than 300 acres by around 5 p.m. Tuesday. Drake said it was incredibly scary.

"The flames were very hot, very high. I wasn't sure if we were going to be able to get out," she said.

A temporary shelter was set up for the evacuees at a Walmart store on Camino Canada in El Cajon.

Because sheriff's deputies weren't letting trucks through, Drake couldn't evacuate her horses, so she stayed overnight.

The blaze has caused no known structural damage, but three firefighters have suffered minor injuries while battling the flames, Johnson said.

Cal Fire used helicopters to drop water from the nearby El Capitan Reservoir on Wednesday. Johnson said the helicopters are more precise over rugged terrain than fixed-wing aircraft dropping retardant.

The terrain is also making it a challenge for firefighters.

"They do train for this type of terrain and to respond to fires in this type of environment, but it does require some different tactics sometimes," Johnson said. "One of those different tactics that they're going to be utilizing today is they're going to fly ... firefighters, fire crews to spots that are inaccessible by ground."

On Wednesday, El Monte Road at Omas Road remained open to residents only due to the ongoing firefighting efforts in the area, while Yucca Road at El Monte Road was limited to emergency crews, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District advised that the blaze could lead to unhealthy atmospheric conditions in communities surrounding the wildfire, including Alpine, Blossom Valley, Ramona, San Diego Country Estates and locales around Barona Casino.

"In areas with minor smoke impacts, assume that air-quality levels range from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups," the agency cautioned. "If you are near the affected communities and smell smoke, it is advised that you limit physical/outdoor activity. If possible, stay indoors to limit your exposure to fine particulate matter and ozone, especially those residents with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly and children."