Update: Mateo Fire in San Diego County - containment reaches 5%

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Updated: 7:10 p.m. June 15

First discovered: 5 hours ago, 1:52 p.m. June 15

Initial location: Mateo Canyon, Camp Pendleton North, San Diego County, Calif.

Fire unit: Camp Pendleton Fire Department

Fire type: Wildfire

Fire name: Mateo Fire

Mateo Fire initially started today at 1:52 p.m. in Mateo Canyon, Camp Pendleton North in San Diego County, California.

Since its discovery five hours ago, it has burned 650 acres. As of Monday evening, the fire crew managed to contain 5% of this fire. However, the cause is still under investigation.

Fire containment

Interpreting what 5% containment means

Containment indicates what percentage of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 5% of the wildfire is contained from spreading, while 95% is still uncontrolled.

Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.

How is containment measured?

The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.

Source: Cal Fire

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This story was originally published June 15, 2026 at 3:37 PM.