Firefighters raced to control a raging vegetation fire in the rugged terrain of the Otay Mountain Wilderness on Saturday. The fire has engulfed lands on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border.
According to a Times of San Diego report, the blaze was first reported at approximately 12:35 p.m. in the Buttewick Canyon area. The inferno has viciously devoured 80 acres in the United States and has spilled over to ravage a similar stretch of land in Mexico. Efforts to containment were at a mere 10% as of the latest updates.
CalFire San Diego described the location as positioned on the "steep south slope of Otay Mountain in grass and brush." Firefighters’ primary target is to thwart the flames from expanding any further north into American soil. Cooperation is ongoing with the Mexican Consulate "as needed," the agency noted.
The firefighting team, as announced on CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire's official update, includes 35 personnel backed by three engines and a water tender strategically battling to control what was initially a 15 to 20-acre fire in the U.S., spreading at a "moderate rate."
CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire is at scene of a vegetation fire in the area of Buttewig Canyon on the south slope of Otay Mountain. The fire is currently 15 - 20 acres in the United States and burning at a moderate rate of spread. #Border53Firehttps://t.co/zOxQXZBrVS pic.twitter.com/1E4HrXzaAC
— CAL FIRE/San Diego County Fire (@CALFIRESANDIEGO) June 2, 2024
All available resources have been deployed to keep the blaze at bay. Public safety officials urge people to stay clear of the area to allow emergency teams to do their job effectively. Further updates on the fire's progression and the effectiveness of the containment efforts will follow.
