A brush fire that sparked Saturday in unincorporated Temecula, California, has grown to 139 acres overnight, sending heavy smoke into the air near Interstate 15 in San Diego's North County, Cal Fire officials said Sunday.
The fire broke out around 11:40 a.m. off Interstate 15 south of Temecula Parkway, amid scorching temperatures as Southern California experienced the first heat wave of the approaching summer season, Cal Fire officials said.
Late Saturday, the fire had reached 70 acres, but nearly doubled overnight. As of 6 p.m. Sunday it was 65 percent contained.
While fighting the blaze, one firefighter suffered minor injuries, according to the agency.
[G] 30-Acre Brush Fire Burns in Temecula
Authorities initially issued a SigAlert, shutting down all lanes of southbound I-15 at Front Street and Temecula Parkway as firefighters battled the blaze.
As of 9 p.m. Sunday, officials still had two lanes of the SB I-15 closed, but all of the NB lanes were open.
When the fire broke out Saturday, traffic on the I-15 slowed to a crawl and backed up from California Oaks Road as crews fought the flames.
Meanwhile, a fire also burned in Pala, California, approximately 13 miles southeast of Temecula. That blaze, dubbed the Pala Fire by officials, scorched 70 acres and was 95 percent contained as of 6 p.m. Sunday. The Pala Fire has been burning since Tuesday. Winds and hot temperatures caused the blaze to flare up once again Friday night, prompting evacuations in the area.
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As 9 a.m. Sunday, no evacuations had been ordered for the Temecula Fire. Temecula is located approximately 60 miles north of downtown San Diego.
