Thorn Fire
- 100% Contained
- 1,234 Acres
- 1 County: San Diego
07/15/2026 8:45 AM
07/19/2026 5:02 PM
Under Investigation
CAL FIRE San Diego Unit
San Diego County Type 3 IMT
Buckthorn Trail and Clover Trail
Status reports
Incident Updates
The Thorn Fire is now 100% contained.
Thorn Fire is 95% contained. Crews patrolled the incident overnight, increasing the containment this morning.
Firefighters worked hard throughout the day, improving and strengthening containment. Patrolling and monitoring for hotspots will continue into the night.
The Thorn Fire is now 85% contained.
The Thorn Fire is now 80% contained.
Firefighters made significant progress on the Thorn Fire today, under challenging conditions and extreme heat. Despite soaring daytime temperatures, crews successfully continued mop up operations and built more containment line.
Overnight, crews will remain engaged patrolling and extinguishing interior hotspots.
Firefighters have made good progress constructing and reinforcing containment lines on the Thorn Fire.
Crews will remain on scene to mop up remaining hot spots.
Road closures have been lifted in the following areas;
- Interstate 8, all lanes open in both directions until further notice
- Ribbonwood Road, across from Roadrunner Lane, is now open
There are no longer any Evacuation Orders on the Thorn fire; the following zones have been lifted:
- SDC-2175-B
- SDC-2241-A
- SDC-2242-B
- SDC-2243-B
- SDC-2332-A
- SDC-2333-B
Overnight, firefighters continued making progress containing the Thorn Fire. They are building and strengthening control lines and mopping up hot spots. CAL FIRE Damage Inspection Teams (DINS) are surveying the area to identify any structures that may have been impacted by fire.
Today, firefighters made significant progress constructing and reinforcing containment lines across the Thorn Fire burn area. Crews continue to engage in active mop-up operations, targeting interior hot spots to secure control lines. While interior smoldering remains, there is currently a low probability of outward fire growth.
Extreme heat persisted over the incident today, with temperatures exceeding 100°F. Fire behavior analysts are monitoring an incoming monsoonal weather pattern, which is expected to bring an increased potential for dry lightning and thunderstorm development.
Interstate 8 is reduced to one lane in both directions, though the eastbound Crestwood and westbound Ribbonwood on-ramps remain open. Ribbonwood Road is restricted to residents only near Roadrunner Lane. Drive cautiously and watch for emergency crews.
CAL FIRE Damage Inspection (DINS) Teams remain active on the ground, with damage assessments currently 45% complete.
The Golden Acorn Evacuation Shelter has closed.
Evacuation Orders and Warnings have been updated.
Firefighters are continuing to mop up and patrol and strengthen containment line. They are experiencing gusty shifting winds due to a thunderstorm cell passing by.
On 7/15/26 at 10:00pm
The following evacutions zones were lifted and residents are allowed to return.
- SDC 2241-B
- SDC 2174
- SDC 2331-B
For additional photos and videos of the Thorn Fire: Thorn Fire July 2026 | Flickr
Over 90 pieces of fire equipment and more than 600 firefighters are actively engaged in fire suppression efforts.
Firefighters made good progress overnight, successfully stopping the fire’s forward spread. Night flying helicopters played a critical role in slowing the fire’s spread by making continuous water drops on active fire throughout the night, providing firefighters with valuable opportunities to strengthen containment efforts. Crews will continue strengthening containment lines, extinguishing hotspots, and improving containment throughout the day. While fire activity has decreased, residents should continue to stay informed and monitor fire updates.
The Thorn Fire is now 10% contained and the forward rate of progress has been stopped.
Firefighters will work overnight, continuing to build and strengthen containment lines while night flying helicopters work to extinguish hot spots from the air. Cooler overnight temperatures are expected to support firefighting efforts however, gusty winds in some areas continue to challenge containment.
Thorn Fire is now 750 acres.
3 Night flying helicopters will continue water dropping operations throughout the night, taking advantage of cooler temperatures and higher humidity to slow fire spread and support firefighters on the ground.
Fire continues to burn to the east past Ribbonwood Road, toward McCain Valley Road.
Evacuation Orders and Warnings have been updated.
The Thorn Fire is now 699 acres.
The Thorn Fire is now 593 acres.
The fire continues to burn at a moderate to dangerous rate of spread. Residents in the affected area should follow all Evacuation Orders and Warnings immediately. Evacuating early helps ensure you and your family can leave safely before conditions worsen.
Evacuation Orders and Warnings have been updated.
The Thorn Fire is now 236 acres.
Fire has jumped Interstate 8. A significant amount of additional resources have been ordered.
Evacuation Orders and Warnings are in place for the Thorn Fire.
New incident in San Diego County - Thorn Fire is 30 acres with a moderate rate of spread in heavy fuels. There are structures threatened and Interstate 8 is closed in both directions.
Resources Assigned
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256Personnel
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10Engines
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4Dozers
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4Water Tenders
-
7Crews
Numerous firefighting air tankers from throughout the State are flying fire suppression missions as conditions allow.
Damage Assessment
Confirmed Damage to Property, Injuries, and Fatalities.
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4Structures DamagedResidential, Commercial and Other
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