Nearly a thousand people are under a mandatory evacuation order after a brush fire broke out Tuesday afternoon near Fashion Valley Mall in Mission Valley.
The Friars Fire broke out just after 12:30 p.m. local time, according to Cal Fire. It is 0% contained.
The San Diego Fire Department confirmed it is at the scene battling the vegetation fire, located near Friars Road and Via de la Moda in Mission Valley.
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The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department confirmed 20 fire engines, three brush rigs, three helicopters, two trucks, and others responded to the fire. A total of 137 personnel were assigned.
The San Diego Police Department later issued evacuation orders for nearby areas.
The fire scorched three acres and is threatening structures, according to officials.
Zones 1894-A,1975-B and 1895 are under mandatory evacuation, according to the city.
In the evacuation order, officials noted there was an “immediate threat to life.”
Friars Road to the CA-163 freeway, and Linda Vista Road to Genesee Avenue are closed, according to the police department.
Forward fire progress was halted and no injuries or fatalities were confirmed, as of 2 p.m. local time, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
“SDFD thanks the City of Poway, and the City of Chula Vista for their assistance with this incident,” the department wrote in a statement.
Amy Reichert, founder of Restore San Diego, was in Mission Valley working on a donation drive for Los Angeles fire survivors when the most recent fire broke out.
“I was picking up donations and dropping them off when I saw the smoke,” Reichert told Fox News Digital. “I walked over the bridge on Friars Road, over 163 to where the Cheesecake Factory is, so I got really close.”
She said she saw people and pets who lived in nearby apartments standing on Friars Road after being evacuated.
“You can clearly see the most burnt areas are at the base of electrical towers and transmission lines,” Reichert said. “After going out there and seeing how close it was to the electrical lines, I’ve got to tell you, if it was intentional, it’s pretty hard to get up there.”
However, Reichert, who ran for District 4 San Diego County Board of Supervisors in 2023, was suspicious about the Lilac Fire and Pala Fire, which broke out earlier in the day.
“The Pala Fire and the Lilac Fire both broke out off of the 15, around the same time, and within close proximity,” she told Fox. “I talked to a firefighter I know, and he said he went out there, and they could see tire tracks from where they believe [someone] started [the fires]. If I had to go to Vegas right now, I’d say the Lilac and Pala were started intentionally – that it was arson. I guess there’s no way to tell, at least immediately.”
She added many locals are “understandably frustrated” with the idea that there may be copycat arsonists at fault for some of the fires plaguing the state, or increased fire incidents due to homeless encampments.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire.
An SDFD fire investigator was also assigned to look into the cause.
A temporary evacuation point was set up at the Snap Dragon West Parking Lot, located at 2101 Stadium Way, San Diego, CA 92108.
The San Diego County Office of Education announced its Linda Vista campus and Linda Vista Innovation Center were being evacuated.
“If you are en route for appointment or class, please avoid the area,” SDCOE wrote in a statement on X.
SDCOE Linda Vista locations will remain closed Tuesday and reopen for regular business hours Wednesday.
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San Diego County remains under a Red Flag Warning, due to strong gusty winds and low humidity, until Wednesday night.
The Lilac Fire and Pala Fire, which started Tuesday morning near Bonsall and Pala Mesa, have consumed more than 100 acres and continue to threaten homes and businesses.
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