FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Battalion Chief Jeff Sargis (760)705-7122

On May 14, 2022 at 5:52 p.m., the Escondido Police and Fire Communication Center received a report of a vegetation fire in the area of Canyon Crest Dr. in Escondido. Because the area with within the Escondido/CAL FIRE mutual threat zone, a vegetation response was dispatched by both agencies, including CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire aircraft. The first arriving Company Officer reported an active fire with a slow rate of spread in a remote area adjacent to a home, with structures threatened.

Air resources assisted firefighters on the ground from Escondido Fire and CAL FIRE to stop the forward progress and contain the fire. No structures were damaged.

The fire was controlled and fully extinguished within two hours. The area burned was determined to be completely within State Responsibility Area (SRA) and the cause of the fire is under investigation by CAL FIRE and Escondido Fire investigators. There were no injuries to civilians or firefighters.

SAFETY MESSAGE: Warmer weather and severe drought has caused the grass and brush to be very dry and susceptible to vegetation fires, even though we have not experienced hot dry Santa Ana winds yet. NOW is the time to ensure that your home has defensible space and that your family is ready for wildfire. Visit https://fire.escondido.org/wildfire-safety-evacuation for more information.