San Diego, California – A large brush fire in northern San Diego County has burned approximately 300 acres as firefighters continue working to contain the blaze, which began Friday evening near Henderson and Pala Mission roads in the Pala area. The fire, referred to as the Henderson Fire, remains 0% contained as of Saturday morning and is burning in steep and rugged terrain near the Pala Reservation.
The fire was first reported around 5:45 p.m. Friday and initially covered 182 acres. By late Saturday morning, it had grown to 300 acres, with most of the active flames located on the eastern flank. The fire is threatening nearby structures, and firefighting crews are using water-dropping helicopters to combat the flames from the air, while additional personnel and equipment have been requested to assist with containment efforts.
Evacuation orders are in place for the areas immediately surrounding the Pala community, which lies just south of the San Diego-Riverside County line and is home to the Pala Band of Mission Indians. A temporary evacuation point has been established at the Pala Casino parking lot. As the fire spreads, evacuation warnings have extended into parts of southwest Riverside County, including neighborhoods south of Temecula such as Oak Haven Estates, sections of the Pechanga Reservation, and rural portions of the Agua Tibia Wilderness…