ANJALI DALAL-WHELAN / ASSOCIATE EDITOR

The San Diego Fire Department (SDFD) and USD’s Department of Public Safety (DPS) extinguished a small fire that broke out in  Tecolote Canyon down the hill from Mata’yuum Crossroads and the Valley residence halls on April 9. No evacuation orders were issued. 

The reason for the fire is unknown.

“The cause of the fire remains undetermined,” Chief James Miyashiro wrote in a statement to The USD Vista. “Due to the rapid extinguishment, fire personnel on scene were unable to identify a definitive origin.” 

After the fire, Residential Life sent an email  to Valley  residents  with concerns DPS and SDFD  shared when responding to the fire. The  departments  said that cigarette butts, golf balls and pieces of broken glass were found in the canyon. They also said that a vehicle was parked in a fire lane without the driver present. The email emphasized that USD is a smoke-free campus, and trash should not be thrown in the canyon.