A large contingent of firefighters, including aircraft and hand crews, responded to a fast-growing brush fire Wednesday afternoon in Ramona that was threatening structures.
The blaze, named the Creelman fire, was first reported on Creelman Lane near Big Sky Road, just west of the Simon County Reserve, around 3 p.m., Cal Fire officials said. The fire burned 80 acres within an hour and had a “critical rate of spread,” officials said.
“We have a ‘no divert’ on our aircraft, meaning that they’re not going to be taken away for a new fire, and that is due to life safety,” said Cal Fire Capt. Mike Cornette. “We are dealing with the wind, the topography, the dry conditions, and this fire is probably going to be burning well into the evening.”
La Mesa, CA – The Creelman Fire expands rapidly in Ramona on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, as seen from La Mesa, CA. (Luke Johnson / The San Diego Union-Tribune)
Cornette said, that as of 4 p.m., the fire was threatening homes in the San Diego Country Estates on San Vicente Road.
Evacuations were ordered for some neighborhoods north of San Vicente Road, west of Arena Way, south of Old Julian Highway and east of Griffith Road, according to online Genasys mapping. Warnings also were issued for communities around Gem Lane and Hanson Lane.
An evacuation center was set up at Ramona High School, 1401 Hanson Lane. A large animal evacuation center was opened at 421 Aqua Lane at the Ramona Rodeo.