Firefighters battle large wildfire on U.S.-Mexico border near Otay Mountain Wilderness – NBC 7 San Diego

Firefighters were battling a 300-acre wildfire dubbed the Border 53 Fire that crossed the Mexican border from San Diego County, officials said Sunday.

The fire broke out for unknown reasons around 12:35 a.m. Saturday near Buttewig Canyon on the south slope of the Otay Mountain Wilderness and Frontier Area, according to a Cal Fire incident report.

There is no structural threat because the fire is burning in a rural area on the international border, with 200 acres burning on the U.S. side and about 100 acres burning on the Mexican side, said Brent Pascua, public information officer for Cal Fire, at NBC 7 San Diego. .

Fire crews have the fire under control, employing a technique known as “backburning” and taking advantage of the marine layer to help contain the fire before the weather gets hotter, Pascua told NBC 7.

Fire activity Saturday was low due to greater humidity in the air coming from the marine layer. Firefighters will continue to work to strengthen containment throughout the day, Cal Fire reported.

A total of 60 personnel are currently assigned to the fire, including five engines, two hand crews, two water tenders and three unnamed resources.