Fire Consumes Acres in San Diego County

January 8, 2001

A cigarette butt dropped by a motorist on Jan. 3 is probably responsible for the devastating fire currently raging in San Diego County, investigators say. The fire has consumed approximately 10,353 acres so far and drawn more than 2,000 firefighters from across California.

The San Diego Union-Tribune reported that “several homes north of Jamul were damaged or destroyed by advancing flames yesterday, although an inventory of burned-out structures had not been completed.” The estimate lists five houses, one mobile home and eight other structures as having burned.

Hundreds of area residents were evacuated to shelters on Jan. 3, although most returned to their homes Jan. 4. Fighting the fire has already cost more than $1 million and could cost as much as $3 million before the fire is put out, according to the Union-Tribune.

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