San Diego

A child playing with matches started a brush fire that burned 15 acres and threatened five homes in Tierrasanta on Wednesday, a San Diego Fire Department spokesman said.

More than 90 firefighters spent 45 minutes containing the blaze, which charred a canyon area north of Admiral Baker Field, according to spokesman Larry Cook, who said “it was an easy fire to fight because of the weather conditions.”

Five homes in the 3200 block of Corporal Drive were temporarily threatened by the fire, but the blaze was contained before evacuation was necessary. A recent Navy brush-clearing project also helped minimize the spread of the fire, Cook said.

Firefighters were concerned that World War II-era explosives remaining in the canyon, formerly used as an artillery range, might be detonated by the blaze. Although a land mine was found, no explosion occurred, Cook said.