Brush Fire Burns Near Ramona

A brush fire near Highland Valley Road in Ramona burned about 7.3 acres on Tuesday afternoon before firefighters stopped its spread, according to Cal Fire and NBC 7 San Diego. (nbcsandiego.com) (fire.ca.gov) The fire broke out shortly after 1 p.m. on April 21 near Highland Trails Drive, in a rural area close to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park, and briefly posed an immediate threat to one structure, Cal Fire said. Firefighters halted forward progress by about 1:45 p.m., and no injuries or structural damage were reported. (nbcsandiego.com) Ground crews, air tankers and water-dropping helicopters were sent to the scene as the fire moved through dry brush in east San Diego County. Cal Fire’s incident page says its statewide incident list is updated frequently as conditions change. (nbcsandiego.com) (fire.ca.gov) By Tuesday evening, Cal Fire said an investigator had determined the cause: sparks from a metal grinder. The agency urged people working near dry vegetation to keep a water source or fire extinguisher nearby and to call 911 if a fire starts. (nbcsandiego.com) Ramona sits in one of San Diego County’s wildfire-prone inland corridors, where small vegetation fires can threaten homes quickly when wind, slope and dry fuels line up. Cal Fire’s 2026 seasonal outlook says Southern California is expected to stay warmer and drier than normal through spring and early summer. (fire.ca.gov 1) (fire.ca.gov 2) Statewide figures show why agencies treat even single-digit-acre fires aggressively this time of year. As of April 20, California had recorded 841 wildland fires burning 9,756 acres in 2026, according to Cal Fire’s statistics page. (fire.ca.gov) San Diego County’s emergency map says evacuation zones, fire perimeters and traffic controls can change rapidly and may take hours to appear online. AlertSanDiego says its public updates are aimed at larger regional emergencies, and residents should also follow local fire and law enforcement information for smaller incidents. (sandiegocounty.gov) (alertsandiego.org) For now, the Ramona fire appears to have ended as a fast-moving but limited brush blaze: one structure threatened, 7.3 acres burned, and crews keeping a small ignition from becoming a larger foothill fire. (nbcsandiego.com)