Cal Fire: Firefighters work to contain 1,049-acre Lakeside Wildland blaze

A firefighter checks smoldering vegetation at the scene of the Monte Fire Photo courtesy of Cal Fire Crews continued working to contain a wildfire that has blackened more than square miles of rugged open terrain this week near El Monte County Park and had the task complete Friday Firefighters are working to suppress the fire which is now burning with a slow rate of spread The area with the bulk advancing fire remains on the northeast side Cal Fire executives declared Fire crews are concentrating on building and improving containment lines accomplishing the greatest progress on the south and west sides of the fire perimeter The north and east sides of the fire continue to be areas of focus for fire line construction The fire which had spread over an estimated acres as of Friday morning could lead to unhealthy atmospheric conditions in communities surrounding the burn zone including Alpine Blossom Valley Ramona San Diego Country Estates and locales around Barona Casino according to the San Diego County Air Corruption Control District Authorities mentioned the fire continued to burn in steep and rocky terrain Additionally fire crews were being flown in by helicopter and dropped off in complicated access areas where they constructed containment lines on the north and northeast sides Crews were expected to remain in the hard-to-reach areas for at least three days The blaze dubbed the Monte Fire erupted for unknown reasons about p m Tuesday off the block of El Monte Road in Lakeside It has caused no revealed structural damage but has left three firefighters with minor injuries As the flames spread to the east over rugged terrain below El Cajon Mountain officials cleared residents out of rural neighborhoods north of El Monte Road east of Hazy Meadow Lane south of Featherstone Canyon Road and northwest of El Capitan Reservoir Evacuation orders and warnings remained in effect however there were no structures threatened An evacuation order was partially lifted in zone SDC- allowing residents to return to their homes administrators mentioned A temporary shelter was established for the evacuees at a Walmart store on Camino Canada in El Cajon A refuge for displaced large animals was in operation at Dianne Jacob Equestrian Park on Moreno Road in Lakeside and a refuge for small animals was in operation at South Shelter on Sweetwater Road in Bonita In areas with minor smoke impacts assume that air-quality levels range from moderate to unhealthy for sensitive groups the agency advised If you are near the affected communities and smell smoke it is advised that you limit physical outdoor activity If attainable stay indoors to limit your exposure to fine particulate matter and ozone especially those residents with respiratory or heart infection the elderly and children There were personnel assigned to the massive blaze including engines crews and five helicopters leaders announced City News Operation