SAN DIEGO (KGTV/CNS) - A suburban wildfire that charred nearly 20 open acres near Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, forcing thousands of people from their homes as ground and airborne crews worked to quell the flames, is nearly out Wednesday.
According to San Diego Fire-Rescue Department officials, the fire — which did not damage any structures — charred 23 acres but was 80% contained as of Wednesday evening.
While there were no reports of injuries, SDFD officials said two crew members were taken to the hospital due to heat exhaustion, but both have since been released.
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Torrey Pines State Reserve Park's team told ABC 10News that all of its trails and extensions were closed until further notice.
Del Mar residents said they're finding little to no trace of the fire.
Kyle Johnson, a Del Mar resident, was seen on his morning run near the trailhead entrance Wednesday and said his lungs felt fine.
"A lot of off-shore wind, on-shore wind was pushing it that way," Johnson said. "It's really nice; it's surprising."
Dan Bodenheimer, who lives at the foot of Torrey Pines State Natural Reserves on Del Mar Scenic Parkway, said he felt safe coming out of his home Wednesday morning, compared to other fire events he's lived through here in Del Mar.
"In 2007, or 2004, we were evacuated," Bodenheimer said. "There was a fire coming down the 56 corridor that freaked me out. If you're in a fire situation, and there's ash falling on your house, it's time to go."
However, after Tuesday's fire, no trace of ash could be seen on the streets. Comparatively, the ground up on the trailhead was covered in ash.
Firelines, smoke spots and charred plants were visible everywhere.
Gregory Szmania was on the trailhead Tuesday taking videos, and took 10News to the same spot where he filmed a tree catching fire.
"All of a sudden, I saw the Torrey Pines tree burning at the bottom, and it just went from nothing and just erupted and went up the trunk," Szmania said.
Szmania said Wednesday morning the trace of the fire he saw left was some fire retardant on a car.
"It was pretty crazy. They were just flying over my unit," Szmania said.
San Diego Fire-Rescue is still investigating the cause of the fire.
The fire erupted shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday near the intersection of Carmel Valley Road and Del Mar Scenic Parkway, at the site of a roughly 1-acre vegetation blaze that crews had subdued earlier in the day, according to San Diego Police and the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
As firefighters battled the re-ignited blaze, authorities evacuated some 2,500 people out of homes east of North Torrey Pines Road, north of Carmel Valley Road, south of Del Mar Heights Road and west of Interstate 5. Roughly 1,500 other residents were advised to prepare to clear out of their neighborhoods on short notice.
A temporary shelter for the displaced was in operation in the late afternoon at Del Mar Fairgrounds.
Just after 7 p.m., all evacuation orders were lifted; nearly 90 minutes later, all road closures associated with the fire were lifted.
By 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, ground crews and personnel aboard an air tanker and three water-dropping helicopters had halted the spread of the fire at an estimated 19 acres, according to SDFRD public affairs.
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