California National Guard helicopters joined the fight Sunday to contain the three-day Eagle Fire, burning in a remote area of
northeastern San Diego County, a Calfire spokeswoman said.
The blaze has consumed 10,800 acres of brush since it started Thursday and is 35 percent contained, said Calfire spokeswoman Julie Hutchinson. The fire is burning behind Warner Springs toward the Anza-Borrego State Park, she said.
“It is still actively growing,” Hutchinson said, but in a slow way, without extremes in heat and wind. “We’d like it to stay like it is, and get containment lines around it.”
No buildings have been threatened, Hutchinson said.
“The helicopters will ferry hand crews into the remote areas to dig fire lines to contain the flames”, she said.
Fifty-four hand crews working on the fire, totaling 1,120 firefighters, Hutchinson said. In addition, air tankers and helicopters would continue chemical and water drops. Fire crews have made good progress constructing the fire’s containment line, Hutchison said.
The fire was burning in older, heavy brush with no documented fire history, so its smoke has been thick and affecting the air quality in parts of Riverside County, Hutchinson said.
The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, she said.
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