What to KnowAcres burned: 1,201Containment: 0%Road closures: The right lanes of the I-8 in both directions are closed at Ribbonwood and Crestwood, leaving the left lanes open. Imperial Highway near Ocotillo has been closed.Evacuation orders are underway hereEvacuation point: The Golden Acorn Casino at 1800 Golden Acorn WaySome SDG&E customers in the area have lost power
A brush fire in the southeast San Diego County community of Boulevard prompted evacuation orders and a closure of Interstate 8 amid a heat wave on Wednesday evening.
The Thorn Fire caused a closure of the I-8 in both directions at Ribbonwood and Crestwood for several hours, but by about 10 p.m., the left lanes on both sides were reopened.
Drivers are asked to avoid the area and can take the alternate route of Old Highway 80 and state Route 94.
Caltrans also closed Imperial Highway to prevent further traffic from going up the mountain and towards the flames, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Evacuations of nearby homes were in effect, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Office said. For a map of the evacuated areas, click here. The Golden Acorn Casino is the evacuation point where Red Cross volunteers have opened up an overnight shelter, officials said.
If you live in Campo, be aware of increased law enforcement and firefighting activity. A brush fire is burning near Buckthorn Trail and Old Highway 80. Interstate 8 in that area is closed in both directions until further notice.
An EVACUATION ORDER is in place for the shaded… pic.twitter.com/E7IPaVmLxN
— San Diego Sheriff (@SDSheriff) July 16, 2026
The Thorn Fire quickly grew to 50 acres after starting as a structure fire that spread into vegetation, according to Cal Fire.
By about 5 p.m. the flames jumped over the I-8 toward Campo and were immediately threatening structures. At about 8 p.m., fire officials said the flames were continuing to burn east past Ribbonwood Road toward McCain Valley Road. A firefight is expected overnight with the help of four night flying helicopters, Cal Fire said.
The flames burning near Boulevard jumped the I-8 and have started heading towards Campo, sending huge plumes of smoke into the air. NBC 7’s Omari Fleming was live from near the fire with the latest.
By nightfall, much of the smoke was visibly dissipating, according to UC San Diego’s AlertCalifornia wildfire cameras.
The fire started near 2500 Buckthorn Trail in Boulevard, burning at a moderate rate of spread in heavy fuels. At the height of the fire, footage from SkyRanger 7 showed huge plumes of black and white smoke rising into the air from the Thorn Fire.
Firefighters could be seen attacking the flames on the ground and with aerial support.
A brush fire in the far southeast San Diego County community of Boulevard set off evacuation warnings and a closure of Interstate 8 amid a heat wave on Wednesday afternoon. NBC 7 has more.
Around 3:45 p.m. about 130 San Diego Gas and Electric customers in the area near Live Oak Springs lost power, according to the SDG&E outage website.
The San Diego County Air Pollution Control District issued an active smoke advisory for those around Live Oak Springs, Boulevard, Tierra Del Sol and McCain Valley around 5:30 p.m. This means that the air quality levels are unhealthy for sensitive groups and may be unhealthy for all people, according to the district. The smoke is blowing east.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details.
SkyRanger 7 | NBC San DiegoSkyRanger 7 | NBC San Diego
Smoke fills the air from a wildfire over the I-8 near Campo, July 15, 2026.