UPDATE (July 28, 7:30 a.m.): The Casner Fire in Ramona, which erupted Wednesday afternoon and prompted to evacuation orders, was 35 percent contained as of early Thursday morning.
In a tweet, Cal Fire San Diego officials said that crews "made good progress mopping up and building containment line. Firefighting resources remain assigned and will continue working throughout the day."
The fire burned at least 180 acres, but officials said, "There was no spread overnight ..."
Evacuees were allowed to return to their homes after crews stopped the fire's forward rate of spread early Wednesday evening.
RAMONA, Calif. (CNS) - A wildfire blackened swaths of hilly open terrain east of Ramona Wednesday, prompting scattered residential evacuations as ground and airborne crews worked to subdue the flames.
The blaze erupted for unknown reasons shortly before 12:30 p.m. near Casner Road and state Route 78 in the rural Witch Creek area, Cal Fire reported.
Deputies advised the residents of about a half-dozen homes to evacuate as a precaution while ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters fought the fire, according to the state agency and the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
The department later tweeted around 4:30 p.m. that the evacuations had been lifted. "Those evacuated in the #CasnerFire can now return home. There's still an evacuation warning in place in the area. It means there's still a potential threat of flare ups and you should be prepared to leave quickly if advised to do so. Fire crews will be working through the night," the department added.
As of 3:30 p.m. the blaze exploded to 180 acres, but had caused no reported structural damage or injuries, Cal Fire Capt. Thomas Shoots said. The forward rate of spread has now been stopped, Cal Fire said. The blaze is 20 percent contained.
In addition, SR-78 in the area has reopened.
Updated map showing evacuation areas and evacuation warnings for the #CasnerFire near or at Rancho Santa Teresa Drive. https://t.co/pEgUAV7pBd https://t.co/X9vIdvaC2u pic.twitter.com/ZWP14HhO6e
— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) July 27, 2022
