Fire officials said the blaze was reported at around 4:30 p.m.in an area off Palomar Divide Road.
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He said about 425 firefighters from the U.S. Fire Service, Cal Fire and local departments were working to douse the fire, which is in steep, rugged terrain and burning in old-growth manzanita on the north side of Palomar in the Cleveland National Forest.
As of 10:00 p.m., the fire has burned 200 acres and is at a moderate rate of spread.
Two crews of “hotshots”, experts in mountain firefighting, were inserted by helicopter, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
“Crews will continue mop-up operations today and the cooler temps expected will help with their efforts”.
Authorities were concerned that several hotspots along the southern and southeastern portions of the burn area could potentially re-ignite dry chapparel and other fuels and roll across the firelines. Saturday night temperatures dropped into the 50s, offering some reprieve to the more than 400 firefighters working to contain it.
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The Federal Aviation Administration has issued a temporary flight restriction to prevent any private aircraft or drone from interfering with the containment of a fire along Palomar Mountain in northern San Diego County.
