One of five brush fires burning in San Diego County flared up abruptly Thursday afternoon, threatening additional homes as it continued to tear a devastating path through San Marcos.
Flames could be seen marching up the hillside, burning eucalyptus trees in the backyards of homes along Via Del Caballo and Camino Hermoso. At least one home was threatened at the corner of La Moree Road and Via del Campo, according to the NBC 7 News crew on scene.
From Bresa De Loma Drive, flames could be seen cresting the hill behind Harmony Grove Road, near newly threatened homes. Fires are known to move quickly uphill, but a NBC 7 crew said this blaze is racing downhill just as fast -- as if it was being pulled down by gravity.
The movement came hours after fire officials identified what is known as the Cocos Fire their "No. 1 priority" among a host of active brush fires that have ravaged the county over the last three days. The fire, which was about 5 percent contained and burning 800 acres Thursday morning, destroyed at least three homes and forced the evacuation of Cal State San Marcos and 29,000 homes Wednesday and Thursday as flames spread down the hillside behind the campus.
As it stood at noon Thursday, evacuation notices were in effect for Questhaven, Harmony Grove, Elfin Forest, Coronado Hills, San Elijo Hills, Cal State San Marcos and Discovery Hills.
The fire was one of at least five still burning across the county Thursday, down from a high of nine separate blazes that have scorched more than 9,000 acres. In all, the concurrent fires had consumed or damaged more than a dozen structures and caused tens of millions of dollars in damage.
The timing and proximity of the fires has fueled speculation that arson could be involved, officials said it would be premature to comment on a cause in the early stages of the investigation. They noted that current weather conditions could cause even a small spark to ignite a brush fire.
"The grass out there is nothing but kindling for these fires, and we had winds, you know, very high speeds," San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said. "It only takes -- I was told by CalFire -- a few hundred degrees to ignite that grass."
Earlier Thursday, crews were focused on keeping the Cocos Fire out of the community of Harmony Grove, "with an emphasis on structure protection, structure defense and perimeter control," according to Cal Fire Battalion Chief Nick Schuler.
While a DC-10 Super Tanker was requested but not available, officials said in a morning briefing that the support ground crews received from San Diego helicopters with night drops overnight made a difference in controlling the fire.
Map of Wildfire Activity and Open Shelters
Complete List of School Closures | List of Areas Under Evacuation
Officials welcomed a break in strong winds, though the high, dry temperatures that were thought to contribute to the spread of the fires continued. Temperatures reached 94 degrees as of 10 a.m. but were likely to reach 101. Humidity was at 6 percent with winds at 3 mph. The extreme heat created additional challenges for firefighters, including those battling the fast-moving Tomahawk Fire charring 6,000 acres near Camp Pendleton.
Even with gains in parts of the county, including the complete containment of several of the fires, life remained on pause for many residents. School closures throughout San Diego kept more than 100,000 children home and thousands of homes and businesses remained under evacuation orders Thursday. Residents were urged to stay off the roads to make way for emergency vehicles. Schuler asked residents to respect the mandatory evacuation orders so crews can do their jobs.
“One of the challenges we faced yesterday is getting homeowners to leave and while we’re doing that we’re unable to fight the fire,” he said.
Gore echoed that messaging, saying 120 deputies have been stationed in San Marcos alone to protect the vacated properties. He advised residents to follow the directions of firefighters and stay out of the area as long as requested.
“We are watching your neighborhoods,” Gore said.
At its peak, officials said 250 people used the evacuation shelter at Mission Hills High School, and while about half had left by Thursday morning, organizers saw a new influx later that day as flare-ups continued.
The school will remain closed Friday so county officials can continue to use it as a shelter.
“It’s a crisis. We have to shift from education to taking care of folks. So that’s what we’re going to do,” said Mission Hills High School's Courtney Goode. “Tests can be made up and what not but lives are being heavily impacted right now so that needs to be our focus.”
Resources are available to all residents who may need recovery information through the county’s recovery website at sdcountyrecovery.com.
Check back for updates on this story.
Photo Credit: NBC 7