Cocos Fire Is Fully Contained After More than a Week

The nearly 2,000-acre Cocos Fire that leveled 36 homes and one business in the San Marcos area during last week's spate of wind-driven blazes across the San Diego area was fully contained Thursday evening, authorities reported.

The fire broke out on a hillside south of Cal State San Marcos on the afternoon of May 14 amid gusty Santa Ana conditions, triple-digit heat and extremely dry ground cover.

The cause of the non-injury fire remained under investigation, according to Cal Fire.

The fire forced thousands of North County residents from their homes for several days. All evacuation orders were rescinded by Sunday.

Among the structures destroyed within 24 hours of the blaze's beginnings near near Cocos Drive were 25 structures at the Harmony Grove Spiritual Association, a century-old church retreat.

The cost of suppressing the blaze has exceeded $5.7 million, according to Cal Fire.

A recovery office the San Diego County government established in San Marcos to aid victims of the blaze is set to close at 5 p.m. Friday.

—City News Service