Evacuations lifted after forward progress stopped on 105-acre brush fire east of Ramona

by Caleb Lunetta, Teri Figueroa

All evacuation orders and warnings were lifted Thursday afternoon after firefighters stopped the forward progress of a brush fire that broke out east of Ramona, Cal Fire officials said.

The blaze, dubbed the Rancho fire, was first reported after a car crash ignited nearby brush around 1:15 p.m. on state Route 78 west of Casner Road, Cal Fire officials said. Within two hours, it had burned about 100 acres and was 15% contained.

A car is destroyed by the Rancho fire near state Highway 78 on Thursday. (Michael Ho / For The San Diego Union-Tribune)

An evacuation order was in effect for about three hours in the area north of state Route 78 roughly from Rancho Santa Teresa Drive stretching east roughly to West Side Road.

Those evacuations were lifted around 4:30 p.m.

Caltrans officials advised residents to avoid taking SR-78 due to a closure for both sides of the highway between Rancho Santa Teresa Drive to Old Julian Highway. Sheriff’s officials said drivers were being diverted onto Old Julian Highway.