Firefighters at the Grade Fire on July 31, 2026.(Courtesy of Cal Fire)Ground and airborne crews successfully stopped the forward spread of the Grade Fire on Friday, containing the blaze to 175 acres in the Cleveland National Forest near Lake Henshaw. According to CalFire, the wildfire has not yet posed an immediate threat to nearby communities.The San Diego County Sheriff’s Office lifted the evacuation warnings and orders at 9:16 p.m., but the department encourages the public to use caution around the area as fire crews and emergency personnel continue their work. The blaze erupted about 1:30 p.m. Friday off the 25700 block of East Grade Road, north of SR-76 and west of SR-79, according to Cal Fire.Ground crews and personnel aboard air tankers and water-dropping helicopters attacked the flames.It was not immediately clear what sparked the blaze.
