Brush fire, smoke, flames, evacuations, in Rancho Bernardo, San Diego

SAN DIEGO — Firefighters battled a fast moving brush fire in Rancho Bernardo on Wednesday morning that sent large black plumes of smoke into the air that could seen miles away. Structures were threatened and evacuations were ordered by the Center Fire, but all have been lifted as of 3:20 p.m.

The San Diego County fire was first reported around 9 a.m. near Bernardo Center Dr. and Camino Del Norte.  

As of 10:45 a.m., the flames had burned about seven acres, city spokesman Jose Ysea said. By that time, firefighters had the blaze about 25% contained, he said.

One person suffered burn injuries due to the blaze, according to the fire department. There were no immediate reports of structural damage.

San Diego Fire Department said that more than 175 firefighters from agencies throughout the region were on the scene and cutting lines around the fire to protect at risk homes.

Air drops had to stop at one point in the afternoon because a person flew a drone near emergency responders and all planes had to land until the drone cleared out. 

Several neighborhoods in the area were under either an evacuation order or warning on Wednesday, but all have been lifted at of 3:20 p.m.

For live maps and updates on evacuation orders and warnings go here: 

All roads are open to traffic again as of 6:20 p.m.

CalFire has built a list of things to have ready in case you and your family are evacuated during any wildfire or disaster. 

Ensure your wildfire ‘Go Bag’ includes:

• A 3-day supply of non-perishable food & 3 gallons of water per person
• A map with at least 2 evacuation routes
• Necessary prescriptions or medications
• A change of clothes & extra eyeglasses/contact lenses
• Extra car keys, credit cards, cash, or traveler’s checks
• A first aid kit & sanitation supplies
• A flashlight & battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• Copies of important documents (birth certificates, passports, etc.)
• Pet food & water

Always have sturdy shoes and a flashlight near your bed, ready for sudden night evacuations.

If time allows, consider adding:

• Valuables that are easy to carry
• Family photos and irreplaceable items
• Personal computer data on hard drives and disks
• Chargers for cell phones and laptops

WATCH RELATED: How to know when it’s time to go during a wildfire:

Santa Ana Winds occur when air from the desert region blows westward toward the California coast.  This results in dry air that flows est to west over the mountains and towards the valleys and coast of Southern California. Santa Ana winds typically feel warm because as the cool desert air moves down the side of the mountain, it is compressed, which causes the temperature of the air to rise. We tend to see relative humidity plummet and temperatures soar during offshore wind events like this. 

These winds create high fire conditions not only for a fire to start but offshore, Santa Ana winds are the perfect fan needed to allow a fire to explode in size once it starts. 

The water year restarts every year on October 1 and measures the rain totals for the season through the following September. When rain totals are below average, the vegetation that once was green turns brown and dry and can serve as fuel for wildfires. The saturated ground can help mitigate fire risk substantially, but the opposite tends to elevate our fire risk. The sooner and more frequently we see substantial rainfall, the lower our risk is for a wildfire to start and spread rapidly. 

When a region is in critical fire danger, power companies tend to shut off power in pre-planned ways in order to prevent electrical equipment from sparking or starting fires. It is also because electric consumption tends to climb with warmer temperatures (usually thanks to A/C needs) and can lead to overall stress on the power grid. When you combine the risk of fire with planned power shut-offs, many school districts will close. Schools can also be used as monitoring sites for fire crews in the event of a fire starting.