A canyon fire charred 45 acres Thursday afternoon in eastern Carlsbad, forcing nearby neighborhoods to evacuate until crews gained the upper hand.
The fire was reported around 2:45 p.m. in the La Costa area of Camino Minero, near Corte Claro and Paseo Encino, near the city’s border with San Marcos.
An area southeast of San Elijo Road and South Rancho Santa Fe Road was put under evacuation orders, while two neighborhoods north of that were under an evacuation warning shortly before 4 p.m. A temporary evacuation point was set up at Stagecoach Park.
After 5 p.m., Carlsbad fire officials reported that the blaze’s forward progress had been stopped. Residents were told they could return around 5:30 p.m. but were also warned to use caution, as they might have to evacuate again.
The fire was burning in steep terrain, said Cal Fire Capt. Robert Johnson, whose agency assisted in the firefight.
Firefighters battled the blaze on the ground and from the air with planes and helicopters.
Staff writer Karen Kucher contributed to this report.
