Border Fire Explodes to 5,389 Acres as Trump Feuds with California Over Aid

OTAY MOUNTAIN, Calif. — A rapidly spreading wildfire near the U.S.-Mexico border has consumed more than 5,389 acres as of Friday morning, with containment efforts struggling to keep pace. The blaze, which began Thursday afternoon, has cast an eerie glow over Otay Mountain and prompted significant firefighting efforts.

Cal Fire San Diego first reported the fire at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday, noting it had already burned 20 acres with a “dangerous rate of spread.” By 8:30 p.m., the fire had expanded to 600 acres, and by 11 a.m. Friday, it had grown to 5,389 acres, with only 10% containment. Flames were visible racing up the hillside near the Otay Mountain Truck Trail, a remote area challenging for fire crews to access.

As the fire raged, President Donald Trump arrived in Los Angeles on Friday to tour wildfire damage, reigniting a feud with California Gov. Gavin Newsom over federal aid and water policies. Trump suggested he might condition additional disaster relief on changes to California’s water management and voter ID laws. “I want to see two things in Los Angeles: voter ID, so that the people have a chance to vote, and I want to see the water be released and come down into Los Angeles and the state,” Trump said during his remarks.

Newsom’s office swiftly responded, calling Trump’s comments “wrong” and emphasizing that California already has voter ID laws in place. “FACT: Under current CA law, you must be a CA resident and U.S. citizen (and attest to being one under penalty of perjury) AND provide a form of ID such as a driver’s license or passport that has been approved by the Secretary of State in order to register to vote,” the governor’s office stated in a social media post.

Trump also criticized California’s water policies, falsely claiming they exacerbated the wildfires. “I don’t think we should give California anything until they let the water run down,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Channel‘s Sean Hannity on Wednesday. Newsom’s office countered that California’s water pumping levels have remained consistent since Trump’s first presidency.

Meanwhile, California has allocated $2.5 billion to aid recovery efforts in the Los Angeles area following recent deadly wildfires. The funding, signed into law by Newsom, aims to support affected communities and bolster firefighting resources. However, Trump’s visit and his comments have added a layer of political tension to the ongoing disaster response.

Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from Orange County, condemned Trump’s approach, stating, “Playing politics with people’s livelihoods is unacceptable and a slap in the face to the Southern California wildfire victims and to our brave first responders.”

As firefighters continue to battle the Otay Mountain blaze, thousands of residents remain under evacuation orders. The fire’s rapid growth underscores the challenges of combating wildfires in California’s rugged terrain, particularly during periods of dry, windy weather.