San Diego

A fast-moving brush fire in La Jolla temporarily threatened a hospital Thursday afternoon, but was contained without damage to nearby buildings and without injuries, a San Diego Fire Department spokesman said.

The blaze, apparently caused by a spark from a power line, started about 4 p.m. in the area of North Torrey Pines Road and North Science Park Road, said the spokesman, Larry Stewart. The fire, fanned by high winds, for a time moved quickly in the direction of both General Atomic to the south and Scripps Clinic to the west, he said.

Three strike teams and 24 firefighting units--totaling about 100 firefighters--were sent to the scene, Stewart said. The fire was contained within an hour, after burning 50 to 60 acres.

Firefighters were to remain at the site throughout the evening to make sure the fire did not flare because of high winds, Stewart said.

Another grass fire apparently related to the dry, windy weather was sparked in Tecolote Canyon about 5 p.m. Firefighters contained the one-alarm fire within half an hour, and only 5 acres were burned, a Fire Department spokesman said.