[SANTEE Sun March 29, 2026, 6:30 p.m.] — A brush fire in the San Diego River bed behind the Town Center Square shopping center in Santee threatened nearby businesses Sunday evening before firefighters stopped its spread at about 5 acres.
The fire broke out west of Cuyamaca Street between Walmart and homes to the north, sending up a smoke column visible for miles around sunset. Fire crews reported an immediate structure threat to businesses as they worked in the river-bottom vegetation.
From the scene, firefighters appeared to make Cuyamaca Street their stopping point as the fire moved east. Crews worked the sides of the fire and steered it toward the roadway, using that north-south street as the objective line rather than letting it continue past it.
Heartland Dispatch CAD shows a large initial response, with several engines, brush rigs, medic units and command resources sent to the fire. Copter 3, San Diego Fire-Rescue’s firefighting helicopter, was also requested and later arrived over the scene as crews worked to keep the fire from extending.
The fire had a relatively slow rate of spread but continued to grow before crews got control around 8:30 p.m. Additional resources were called as the incident expanded.
No injuries were reported and no structures were lost. Firefighters remained in the area into the night mopping up and putting out smoldering hot spots.
The stretch of river bottom where the fire started is an area where fires are known to happen regularly, and where homeless encampments have been a recurring concern, based on local observation from the scene.
