At 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 15, a fire broke out near Poinsettia Lane and Alicante. The fire grew until it covered a span of 400 acres, and as of 2 p.m. today, it is 70 percent contained. Assessments of the damage continue to be conducted throughout the city. According to the City of Carlsbad, as of 6:30 a.m., the damage includes 22 dwelling units destroyed, 6 family homes damaged and 2 commercial buildings destroyed. There have been around 300 firefighters at the scene of the event.

“I heard about the fire on my way to the AP test,” sophomore Sophia Molinar said. “On the way back, we saw the one at Camp Pendleton and at Poinsettia; all you could see was smoke all around the car. So many people couldn’t come to the test because of the fire. I felt so bad for the people in that position. You could actually see the flames when I was driving. I saw it on Snapchat, on Instagram and all over social media. It’s a totally different perspective from that of the news. But I think the fire looks more controlled now.”

The Carlsbad Unified School District announced that all Carlsbad schools will be closed today and on Friday, May 16 and are expected to resume Monday, May 19. All CIF sports events and practices have been cancelled for today and Friday as well. No Carlsbad schools suffered any damage in the fires, and continued updates from CUSD will be provided.

“I turned on my phone to find 20 texts and 5 missed calls about the fire,” sophomore Winter Schweibold said. “I work at Legoland as a lifeguard, and they told us not to come in to work on Wednesday. I heard that the rides were evacuated from a power outage on site. When I was in Del Mar earlier for the AP test, it was really windy; the sky was dark, and you could see ash in the air.”

Alga Norte, Harding and Stagecoach community centers, Monroe Street Pool and the Dove Library will also be closed today. Aviara Parkway between Ambrosia and El Camino Real is open to traffic, but travel is suggested to stay limited to ensure room for emergency vehicles. The Carlsbad Police Department asks for anyone with information involving the start of this fire, or anyone involved with the starting of the fire, to email [email protected]. More fire information and updates can be found at San Diego County Emergency.