Fast-moving wildfire threatening homes near Ramona contained

SAN PASQUAL - A fast-moving wildfire tore across hilly terrain east of San Diego Zoo Safari Park today, threatening homes near Ramona for a time before firefighters got the flames under control.

The blaze erupted for unknown reasons about 1 p.m. off the 18000 block of state Route 78, near Rangeland Road in the San Pasqual community of northern San Diego, according to Cal Fire.

In less than 90 minutes, the flames had spread to the east over 100-plus acres and were posing immediate hazards to houses in the rural area, the state agency reported.

Police shut down a stretch of SR-78 near the burn zone as crews worked to subdue the blaze, dubbed the Rangeland Fire, on the ground and aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters.

By 3 p.m., the fire was no longer an imminent threat to structures, according to Cal Fire.

As of 4:30 p.m., the crews had halted the spread of the fire and had the roughly 150-acre burn area about 30 percent contained.

The cause of the fire -- which burned near the site of a blaze that blackened an estimated 365 acres two weeks ago -- was under investigation.