San Marcos Brushfire Stopped , Evacuations Lifted | Newsradio 600 KOGO
San Marcos firefighters halted a brush fire near Cal State San Marcos that burned at least three acres and forced evacuations of the main campus, exposing how quickly heavy fuel loads can threaten homes and schools.
Firefighters in San Marcos killed the forward progress of a brush fire Sunday afternoon before it could devour the eight acres it threatened, lifting evacuation orders that had emptied the main campus of Cal State San Marcos.
The blaze ignited shortly after 3 p.m. in the 500 block of La Moree Road, close to the Center for Children and Families, and raced toward structures in the 200 block of Walnut Hills Drive near a playground. It burned in heavy fuel at a moderate rate of speed, officials said, scorching at least three acres within the first hour.
San Diego County Sheriff’s Office warned residents on X: “If you live in San Marcos, be aware of increased law enforcement and firefighting activity. A fire is burning near the 500 block of La Moree Road… If you feel you are in danger, GO!” The urgency underscored how little separation exists between suburban backyards and flammable hillsides in North County.
By 4:10 p.m. the city of San Marcos announced the fire’s forward progress had been stopped. Evacuated residents were told to wait at a temporary shelter at Mission Hills High School, 1 Mission Hills Court, before being allowed back into their neighborhoods.
The episode lasted barely two hours yet revealed the persistent vulnerability: a moderate-speed fire in heavy fuel near a university campus and children’s center can still force hundreds from their homes on a Sunday afternoon. Containment arrived quickly this time. The next time the fuel is drier or the wind sharper, the same stretch of La Moree Road may not be so fortunate.
What remains is whether local agencies will treat this near-miss as a warning to clear brush before the Santa Ana season returns, or simply file another successful stop in the books.
Original reporting: kogo.iheart.com.
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