Wildfire near Ramona fully contained

BALLENA (CNS) - A wildfire that blackened nearly 100 open acres between Ramona and Santa Ysabel, prompting evacuations as firefighters worked to subdue the wind-whipped flames, is 100% contained, Cal Fire announced today.

The blaze, dubbed the "Sawday Fire" erupted shortly before 9:30 a.m. Friday amid unseasonable heat and gusty Santa Ana conditions near Sawday Truck Trail and Littlepage Road, south of state Route 78 in the unincorporated Ballena community, according to Cal Fire.

Within 90 minutes, the fire had burned about 70 acres, the state agency reported.

By 1 p.m. Friday, firefighters ha...