10 evacuated by helicopter as wildfire chars 2,000 acres in rural San Diego County

Wildfire chars 2,000 acres outside San Diego

SAN DIEGO — A pair of hikers and eight people in a cabin were evacuated by helicopter as a wildfire consumed thousands of acres of grasslands in rural San Diego County.

California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection spokeswoman Roxanne Provaznik says the blaze began Saturday afternoon in the county’s northeastern corner on the edge of Cleveland National Forest and quickly surged to 2,000 acres, or about three square miles.

She says firefighters have stopped the progress of the blaze, and it is about 10 percent contained.

Cal Fire captain Daryll Pina (PEEN’-yuh) says visitors to El Capitan Reservoir and El Monte Park were told to evacuate.

Twenty engine companies and 10 water-dropping aircraft are taking on the blaze.

Officials say there are no homes in immediate danger.