Ariane Fire stopped at 5 acres with all evacuation orders lifted

A brush fire in Tecolote Canyon in Clairemont Mesa on Tuesday was stopped at 5 acres, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department (SDFD).

As of 7 p.m., the fire, officially dubbed the Ariane Fire, was 50% contained.

The blaze started shortly after 5 p.m. in the 5200 block of Mount Ariane Terrace, SDFD spokesperson Candice Hadley said.

"It was moving at a moderate rate of spread in really dense brush on a hill, which made it pretty difficult initially," she said. "There was an immediate structure threat ... so crews were positioned there to defend those homes."

The San Diego Police Department issued an evacuation order for homes along the 3400 block of Cowley Way. Residents were told to evacuate to a temporary evacuation center in the Target shopping center at the corner of Genesee Drive and Balboa Avenue.

The evacuation order was lifted shortly before 7 p.m. after the fire's forward rate of spread was stopped, Hadley said.

Crews will remain late into the evening to mop up any hotspots, she said.

"We are proud of the hard work of our crews who trained throughout the year for these types of incidents," Hadley said. "We are especially grateful for our partners at Cal Fire who supported the response to this fire with helicopters as well as fixed-wing aircraft."

No homes were damaged in the fire. The cause was under investigation.