A stretch of Interstate 8 in East County was shut down for almost two hours as a 75-acre brush fire burned along the freeway east of Pine Valley, authorities said
At 4 p.m., KPBS media partner 10News reported the 'Gun Fire' was 5 percent contained.
Traffic was taken off the eastbound freeway at Sunrise Highway, and westbound traffic was detoured off at Buckman Springs Road, CHP officers said. Traffic was allowed to use the frontage road, a section of old U.S. 80, to get past the smoky freeway lanes, according to CHP officers at the scene.
The fire was reported shortly after 12:30 p.m. by caller on westbound Interstate 8 approaching Pine Valley, who said the smoke appeared to be from a fire about two miles north on Sunrise Highway. The interstate was shut down just after 2 p.m. and reopened less than two hours later.
Arriving officers found heavy smoke on the freeway, and first closed the westbound side, then the eastbound lanes.
As of about 4 p.m., 15-30 mph winds, with gusts of 45 mph, were blowing from the east near the area, according to the NWS.
Cal Fire personnel assisted U.S. Forest Service firefighters at the vegetation fire, Cal Fire officials said.
