Wildfire near Dulzura contained, caused by target shooting

A 61-acre fire near the East County community of Dulzura in Marron Valley was 100% contained Sunday, and authorities said the cause was determined to be target shooting.

The Border 18 fire began shortly after 2 p.m. Saturday along Marron Valley Road, not far from the U.S.-Mexico border. A second-alarm response and additional air tankers were requested by the incident commander within the first hour.

Within about 90 minutes, the fire had grown to 61 acres, Cal Fire said.

The fire was declared fully contained shortly after 1 p.m. Sunday, 23 hours after it started, according to Cal Fire.

Air tankers, bulldozers, engines, trucks, water tenders and hand crews from throughout the region responded to the fire.

Two injuries were reported from the scene. An ambulance was called to respond to someone with a scorpion sting and another with a knee injury, according to radio traffic.

Cal Fire said safety tips include recreational shooting in areas free of dry vegetation, avoiding shooting on hot, windy days and using paper targets or clay pigeons since steel targets and rocks can spark fires. Cal Fire also recommends keeping a shovel, a fire extinguisher and extra water on hand in case a fire starts.