Rain that arrived late Saturday in San Diego County brought with it cautious optimism as officials eased evacuation orders and warnings in the Border 2 fire area.
Cal Fire officials said the Border 2 fire, which began Wednesday, remained at 6,625 acres and 10% containment Sunday morning, the same figures as the most recent update on Saturday night.
Evacuation orders for the Dulzura and Honey Springs communities to the east of the fire area were lifted Sunday morning, allowing those areas to be repopulated, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said.
Evacuation orders remained in place for the wilderness area and warnings remained for Eastlake Vistas.
“Firefighters have made great progress slowing the spread of the fire,” Cal Fire officials wrote on social media. The agency said more than 2,400 firefighters and other personnel are now assigned to the blaze as they labor to get containment lines dug out around it.
During a 7 a.m. briefing, a Cal Fire meteorologist said about one-tenth of an inch of rain fell overnight, and more was expected off and on Sunday, with up to a quarter-inch possible.
While the precipitation was likely to aid fire crews, the weather also brought also concerns over lightning and flooding as fire officials.
The meteorologist said there was a roughly 15% chance of thunderstorms, which could produce lightning — a potential fire-starter.
The meteorologist also said brief pockets of heavy rain “could be a little bit of a problem over a fresh burn scar,” where the water could produce flooding or mudslides.
Jonathan Pangburn, a fire behavior analyst with Cal Fire, said during the briefing that the rain would halt the danger of “fine fuels” — such as grass, twigs and leaves — carrying the fire. But he said the fire could still move, albeit slowly, in the shrubs and brush that are still critically dry.
“My main message for today is pay attention to where you are, make sure your vehicles are in a safe place, and make sure you’re ready in the event of any lightning,” Pangburn said.
Cal Fire officials said during the briefing their objective was to keep the fire north of the U.S.-Mexico border, east of Wueste Road, south of Proctor Valley Road and west of state Route 94.
