A wildfire erupted several miles north of the U.S.- Mexico border in the San Diego area Thursday, quickly blackening scores of open acres as ground and airborne crews worked to quell the flames amid arid and blustery Santa Ana conditions.
The blaze erupted for unknown reasons shortly before 2:30 p.m. Thursday in a remote area near Otay Mountain Truck Trail, about a half-mile west of Doghouse Junction in Otay Mountain Wilderness Area, according to Cal Fire.
The blaze spread over steep, rugged terrain as firefighters battled it on the ground and aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters, said Robert Johnson, a fire captain with the state agency.
Within 90 minutes, the burn area had grown to roughly 140 acres, officials reported. By 5 p.m., the fire had spread over an estimated 228 acres, according to Cal Fire.
There were no known structural threats, Johnson said.
Due to smoke from the fire, the San Diego County Air Pollution Control District issued a smoke advisory for the southwestern parts of the county.
"In areas where you smell smoke it is advised that you limit physical/outdoor activity," the advisory said. "If possible, stay indoors to limit your exposure to fine particulate matter and ozone, especially those residents with respiratory or heart disease, the elderly, and children."
