Crews Control California Wildfire Sparked by Garbage Truck

ESCONDIDO, Calif. --

State Route 78 was reopened late Monday night following an accident that sparked a brush fire near the Wild Animal Park.

Officials reopened the road at about midnight after the fire was fully contained. Tuesday morning, firefighters remained on the scene to make sure there were no flare-ups.

A garbage truck sparked the brushfire when it overturned just east of the Wild Animal Park at San Pasqual Valley and San Pasqual roads. The crash shut down the highway in both directions.

The garbage truck caught fire after overturning, and the flames quickly spread to the nearby hillside.

More than 200 firefighters from CalFire, the San Diego Fire Department and other agencies worked from the ground and the air to put out the flames. They were assisted in the air by helicopters and air tankers. Fire officials estimated that it blackened about 80 acres, but no homes or structures were threatened.

The garbage truck was carrying an estimated 20,000 pounds of discarded meat. The trash spilled across the highway causing a mess for CalTrans to clean up. The roadway was covered with "crabs, chicken, meat parts, all kinds of stuff." CalTrans worker Mike Moeck said.

Fortunately the driver escaped the truck, and was taken to a hospital.

Parts of San Diego county were under a red flag warning Tuesday because of critical fire danger.

"This is a wakeup call. I think we're getting off easy on this one," said Dave Nissen of CalFire.