DEL MAR — An ongoing brush fire near Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve has resulted in evacuation orders for nearby residents as multiple agencies equipped with helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft continue to battle flames.
In a post on X at around 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday, the San Diego Fire Department said individuals were being ordered to evacuate in the area east of North Torrey Pines Road and west of Interstate 5 between Carmel Valley Road to the south and Del Mar Heights Road to the north.
An evacuation warning was also issued for the Del Mar Heights area shortly after 4 p.m. The Del Mar Fairgrounds has been designated as a temporary evacuation site.
Authorities say a spot fire — near the site of a roughly one-acre vegetation blaze that crews had subdued earlier in the day at approximately 10:30 a.m. — reignited about 3 p.m. outside the containment lines near the intersection of Carmel Valley Road and Del Mar Scenic Parkway.
San Diego Fire Department spokesperson Mónica Muñoz said during a press conference that by 4:50 p.m., the fire had grown to roughly 19 acres. A plume of smoke was visible over Interstate 5 and most of the neighborhoods in Del Mar.
Authorities initially evacuated homes near the burn area of the re-ignited blaze, including on Boca Raton Street, Mango Drive and Mira Montana Drive. So far, roughly 2,500 residents have been ordered to evacuate, Muñoz said.
According to SDFD public affairs, the flames have spread largely due to dense undergrowth and winds, making firefighting efforts more difficult.
For more updates about evacuations, visit alertsandiego.org.
City News Service contributed to this report.
