Firefighters Extinguish Mt. Soledad Brush Fire

Firefighters were mopping up Saturday, following a canyon brushfire that had threatened homes above La Jolla, but was extinguished by a large contingent of firefighters.

A 10-foot by 10-foot vegetation fire, burning some 600 feet down in a canyon, was reported at 7:25 p.m. Friday on Mt. Soledad, near Caminito Blythefield and Caminito Hermitage, according to a San Diego Fire-Rescue dispatcher. That was near the gated community of Windemere, near Mt. Soledad at the highest reaches of La Jolla.

The dispatcher said the fire was in a designated “special response area,” a wildland canyon where fires can spread quickly.

Engine 16 from Mt. Soledad fire station was the first to respond and called for additional resources.

A total of about 35 firefighters including five fire engines, three fire companies, three brush rigs, a fire chief, one water tender and one water-dropping helicopter responded.

Two helicopter water drops were made to protect structures nearby which were threatened, the dispatcher said. Firefighters were stationed near residences on the bluff for protection as the fire burned up the hill.

“The blaze, which was getting larger, was knocked down at 8:08 p.m.,” the dispatcher said.

The incident is being investigated by the Metro Arson Strike Team.

-City News Service