Cutca Fire now 50 percent contained

CLEVELAND NATIONAL FOREST (KUSI) – Monday 8:16 a.m. – The Cutca Fire that scorched roughly 170 acres over the weekend was 50 percent contained as of Monday morning, authorities announced.

The fire, which started for unknown reasons, broke out east of Cutca Valley in Cleveland National Forest around 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. No injuries or damage to nearby structures has yet been reported.

Fire crews are optimistic that the fire will be 100 percent contained by midnight on Wednesday.

11:53 a.m. – A fire that broke out on Palomar Mountain Friday afternoon has reportedly burned 200 acres and was two percent contained Saturday morning.

The blaze, called the Cutca Fire, began off Palomar Divide Road at roughly 4 p.m. Friday afternoon. No structures have yet been threatened.

The observatory was still open for business, the U.S. Forest Service said, and traffic around the telescopes and recreation areas was unaffected.

We will continue to provide updates on the Cutca Fire as they become available.

Friday 6:26 p.m. –  A wildfire spread over the remote terrain of Palomar Mountain Friday afternoon.

The blaze broke out shortly after 4 p.m. off Palomar Divide Road in Cleveland National Forest, but the origin of the fire is unknown, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Crews aboard air tankers and firefighting helicopters worked to suppress the flames, which scorched about 10 acres within two hours but posed no immediate structural threats, USFS spokeswoman Olivia Walker said.

Due to the ruggedness of the area, ground crews were unable to reach the site, she said.