Brush fire scorches Lomas de la Presa lot

A brush fire burned through a vacant lot behind a supermarket in Lomas de la Presa, Tijuana, on Friday, April 17, and firefighters contained it without reported injuries. (tvaztecabajacalifornia.com) TV Azteca Baja California reported the fire broke out Friday afternoon in a lot with dry vegetation in the Lomas de la Presa area. Initial reports said no nearby homes or businesses were damaged. (tvaztecabajacalifornia.com) The cause had not been established as of the April 17 report, and authorities had not released a damage estimate. The outlet said the incident was brought under control at the scene. (tvaztecabajacalifornia.com) The fire drew attention because it happened in an urban lot, not open countryside, in a neighborhood where residents live next to undeveloped land. TV Azteca said neighbors described fires in vacant parcels as a recurring problem in the area. (tvaztecabajacalifornia.com) Those complaints fit a broader pattern of heavy fire response in Tijuana. The city’s fire department said it handled 38 emergency calls in a 24-hour period ending April 17, with three cases classified as significant. (uniradiobaja.com) Tijuana has also seen other recent fires tied to brush, trash, or informal burning on vacant land. El Imparcial reported another April 17 lot fire in the Fernández neighborhood that consumed garbage and grass and was believed to have started while people burned cables to extract copper. (elimparcial.com) Residents in Lomas de la Presa told TV Azteca they want cleanup of overgrown lots and prevention measures to reduce the risk of another flare-up behind homes and businesses. For now, the April 17 fire stands as another contained blaze with the cause still under review. (tvaztecabajacalifornia.com)