A brush fire broke out Sunday in Sorrento Valley and grew to about 20-25 acres within 90 minutes, prompting an evacuation order. The fire has since burned 71 acres, according to Cal Fire.
The fire started at about 1:30 p.m. Sunday in the Penasquitos Creek area east of Interstate 15, with staging at Sorrento Valley Boulevard and Vista Sorrento Parkway, according to radio traffic, with an aerial attack getting underway immediately.
The fire was burning slowly in medium fuel, but firefighters planned for structure protection as a precaution, the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department reported.
Additional air resources were requested within 40 minutes of the fire and fixed-wing aircraft from Cal Fire began responding five minutes after that.
San Diego police officers also responded to provide traffic control and close streets in the area.
Within an hour of the fire starting, four fire engines, seven brush rigs, four operation support vehicles, four battalion chiefs and two helicopters were involved in the firefighting effort.
Two Cal Fire bulldozers were also requested as the fire reached the creek bed at the bottom of a canyon ringed with houses. A Type 3 Strike Team was also dispatched.
At about 3:30 p.m., evacuations were ordered for some areas close to the flames, and a temporary evacuation point was set up at Mandell Weiss Eastgate Park, at 4161 Eastgate Mall.
The cause of the fire had not been determined as of late afternoon Sunday.
