Fire on Palomar blackens 200 acres; Campo-area blaze contained

The Cutca fire on Palomar Mountain was 2 percent contained and had blackened 200 acres Saturday, firefighters said.

In another part of the county, the wildfire that blackened 23 acres near Lake Morena County Park Friday was completely contained Saturday.

The Cutca blaze broke out off Palomar Divide Road around 4 p.m. Friday, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Traffic to and from the telescopes and recreation area was not affected, and the observatory was open for visitors, according to a spokesperson there.

The U.S. Forest Service officials said crews worked throughout the night to fight the fire, but its location made containment difficult

Crews aboard air tankers and helicopters battled the flames.

No structures were threatened, as the fire burns in the Cleveland National Forest

The blaze near the Lake Moreno park in the Campo-area preserve erupted about 12:45 p.m. Friday, according to Cal Fire.

Ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters fought the blaze, which posed no immediate structural threats, said Kendal Bortisser, a fire captain with the state agency.

Sheriff’s deputies visited homes in the area to alert residents about the fire and advise them to monitor the situation in case evacuations became necessary.

By 2 p.m., firefighters had halted the spread of the blaze. They remained in the area in the late afternoon, dousing hot spots and making sure smoldering embers would not ignite more vegetation, Bortisser said.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.