Firefighters continue to combat a brush fire that ignited near the U.S.-Mexico border by Otay Mountain on New Year's Day. According to Cal Fire San Diego's latest update, the blaze, dubbed the "Border 1 Fire," remains at 25 acres and is now 20% contained. CBS 8 relayed this information this morning.
The fire was originally reported at roughly a 15-acre size, growing to 25 acres in the late hours of the first day of the new year. Fire crews have mobilized 24 various suppression resources on the ground, working diligently to fortify containment lines and addressing hot spots that persist within the challenging terrain of the Otay Mountain Wilderness, as reported by Fox 5 San Diego. As of the latest available data, no structures have been threatened, and no roads have been closed due to the fire.
Human actions may have influenced the cause of the Border 1 Fire, as the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department received reports of vehicles and individuals setting off fireworks on Otay Mountain. According to the same report received by Fox 5 San Diego, these activities are suspected to have potentially sparked the brush fire.
While the forward rate of the fire's spread was halted before the end of New Year's Day, various units and fire personnel from COVID-19 continued to work the scene to achieve full containment and extinguishment. As community members witness the environmental threat, local authorities are urging caution and awareness in these dry and often perilous areas that border the urban dwellings and the wildlands.
