Possible arson fire extinguished

By City News Service

A possible arson fire scorched about 12 open acres in the Black Mountain Ranch area today (Nov. 2) amid dry, breezy weather conditions, authorities reported.

The non-injury blaze erupted in a hilly area off Camino del Sur and San Dieguito Road shortly before 9 a.m., according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.

It took about 60 firefighters and crews aboard two helicopters about an hour to fully extinguish the flames, which never threatened any structures, SDFRD spokesman Maurice Luque said. The nearest homes were about a quarter-mile from the burn area, and mostly upwind of it, he said.

Dry Santa Ana gusts up to about 30 mph stoked the fire, according to Luque.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation. Witnesses described seeing someone in the area as the fire began spreading, leading authorities to believe it may have been intentionally set.