Evacuations lifted as crews advance on fire

JAMUL (AP) — A criminal investigation has been launched into the origin of a brush fire that forced hundreds of people to evacuate over the weekend southeast of San Diego, authorities said.

All evacuation orders were lifted early Monday and the blaze was 75 percent contained after scorching more than 3 square miles of dry brush near Jamul (HAH-mul), the state Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said.

A video posted to social media appeared to show the start of the fire in an area of Bureau of Land Management property, Capt. Issac Sanchez told the Union-Tribune Sunday. He wouldn’t say whether investigators suspected the fire sparked Saturday was intentionally set.

The video showed two people standing next to a patch of smoking brush, and two others running toward it. Soon after, the smoldering vegetation caught fire, and the four were seen walking away, the newspaper reported.

Another portion of the video showed a fire truck arriving. A nearby hillside was already blackened.

Occupants of rural homes and the Pio Pico RV Resort and Campground were ordered to leave as flames spread rapidly amid dry, hot conditions.

A rise in humidity allowed firefighters to advance on the blaze on Sunday.

No injuries were reported.