Fast-moving wildfire explodes in SoCal, forcing evacuations

A brush fire broke out in San Diego County on Wednesday morning, leading authorities to issue evacuation orders.

The Rainbow Fire burning near Rainbow had grown to 50 acres, forcing the evacuation of nearby homes, according to Cal Fire.

About 10 homes were at risk, NBC San Diego reported.

Cal Fire gave an update at 10:52 a.m. on Wednesday that said the fire has the potential to spread about 25 acres more.

“New start in San Diego County – Rainbow 3 Fire, is 20 acres with moderate rate of spread. Potential for 75 acres. Additional resources have been ordered,” it wrote.

An evacuation order has been issued for Zone SDC-0111, and an evacuation warning has been issued for Zone SDC-0110. Two-hundred Cal Fire personnel and 18 fire engines, along with “numerous” firefighting air tankers, are assisting as of 11:40 a.m.

A photo from the scene showed two fire engines sitting in front of a plume of gray smoke.

The Seventh Day Adventist Church in Fallbrook has been set as a temporary evacuation point.

There are currently 15 active wildfires in California spanning almost 100,000 acres. The average size of an active wildfire is around 6,600 acres, which is spiked by the nearly 70,000-acre Biscar Fire in Lassen County.

The Biscar Fire is the largest of the year and began last Saturday, prompting mass evacuations of more than 300 square miles in Lassen County. 

The Biscar Fire was first reported around noon Saturday on Snowstorm Road and Vincent Canyon, 24 miles northeast of Susanville, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. The first orders to evacuate the area arrived in the first six hours. 

The fire reached 46 square miles by Sunday evening, and was only 5% contained, according to CalFire. The department said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

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