Firefighters knock down blaze threatening homes in Birdland neighborhood

Firefighters made quick work of a 2-acre brush fire that broke out in a Birdland canyon late Sunday morning that threatened homes and prompted evacuations, authorities said.

Fire crews responded to Meadow Lark Drive, just west of Mission Center Road, shortly before noon. Flames were burning under transmission lines and were threatening canyon rim homes in the area north of Mission Valley, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesperson Candace Hadley said.

“Crews positioned themselves at the top of the canyon due to an immediate threat to structures and called the San Diego Police Department to evacuate residents in the area,” Hadley said. She said the forward movement of the fire was halted shortly after 1 p.m.

More than 80 firefighters, multiple brush rigs and a helicopter responded to the fire, which was pushed by gusty winds and low humidity. The helicopter did not make water drops because of the proximity to power lines, but was able to assist ground crews, according to Hadley.

Dave Munyon, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said winds gusted past 30 mph and remained in the high 20s mid-afternoon Sunday, although there were signs that the wind pattern was reversing.

“We’re seeing relative humidity in the city of San Diego right now at about 9%, and that’s quite dry,” Munyon said. “Normally, you’d see afternoon humidity in the 60% to 70% range.”

Parched conditions, fire officials warned, call for caution.

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