SAN DIEGO, Sept. 25 (UPI) -- A Southern California wildfire killed one person and destroyed 35 buildings, fire officials said Tuesday.
The blaze, known as the Shockey fire, has scorched 2,851 acres and is 55 percent contained, U-T San Diego reported. It began Sunday afternoon and ravaged the Tierra del Sol neighborhood, where 20 homes burned. It has since taken root largely in a steep, wooded area that fire officials said hasn't been touched by fire since the 1990s, making it difficult for firefighters to get the blaze under control.
Some previous evacuation orders have been lifted, but residents in Tierra del Sol have not been able to return, the newspaper reported.
Firefighters said 40 mph winds Tuesday contributed to the problem. Roughly 950 firefighters from Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service and local agencies are working to contain the Shockey fire, with support from six air tankers dropping flame retardant from above.
