Wildfire Sparked by Car Crash in San Diego County Chars Hundreds of Acres, Prompts Evacuations

A fire engine from Cal Fire works to contain a wildfire in eastern San Diego County, Calif., on June 2, 2024. Courtesy of Cal Fire San Diego

JACUMBA, Calif—Flames engulfed a vehicle on Interstate 8 in the rural southeastern reaches of the San Diego area on July 1 and spread into adjacent brushy terrain, where it blackened hundreds of acres, prompting evacuations and a smoke advisory.

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported the fire has burned 1,000 acres and was 5 percent contained as of Tuesday morning.