Guests at an Escondido motel were evacuated after a fire started in one of the rooms.

It happened at the Hacienda Motel on North Broadway. 

Firefighters received a call Friday 4:45 a.m. about a fire alarm going off. 

Crews located the source of the fire in a room on the first floor. 

Firefighters quickly put out the fire, and it did not spread to the second floor. 

No injuries were reported. 

The motel had just been remodeled because of a previous fire. 

No other information was available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

A man suspected of arson is now under arrest in connection with a wildfire that scorched 85 acres near Camp Pendleton earlier this week, police confirmed Friday.

The Oceanside Police Department (OPD) said Jose Antonio Torres, 35, faces arson charges in Tuesday’s fire. Several witnesses told investigators they saw a suspicious man running from the area of the fire up a hill near Camp Pendleton after the flames sparked.

That person was Torres, who was detained by Camp Pendleton officials from the Provost Marshalls Office (PMO) and the Naval Criminal Investigations Unit (NCIS). He was questioned by investigators about the fire and, after days of probing, is now suspected of intentionally setting the blaze. Torres told investigators he had set up booby traps in the area of the fire, but crews did not find any types of traps.

The OPD said Torres has a parole hold on his record out of Los Angeles for a previous assault charge. He's slated to appear in court on Monday.

The fire sparked Tuesday just after 1 p.m. on the south side of the base along the 800 block of Douglas Drive in an area that borders Oceanside and Camp Pendleton. Witnesses called 911 to report heavy, thick smoke in the area north of Oceanside Municipal Golf Course.

"I went out to my backyard, and it was all smoke, and then I went out about an hour later and saw flames," said Sara Blanchard, who lives in the area of the fire. "I was just thinking, 'Is it going to come over here?' I couldn't believe how close it was. I could see the flames out there."

Golfer Jay Miller told NBC 7 he saw a man running from the fire moments after it started. 

"We were on hole seven, I believe, and we saw a guy cut through the golf course, and about 10 minutes later, we saw a little fire start up," Miller said. "And we saw him run up the hill and then all of a sudden; the whole hillside caught on fire. He was definitely right next to the fire when it started. We saw that." 

When firefighters arrived, they discovered the blaze burning in dense brush up the slope behind the golf course. It was spreading fast due to the high 12 to 15 mph winds, OFD Battalion Chief Greg de Avila said.

It had already scorched two acres and was moving quickly.

OFD crews along with crews from the Carlsbad Fire Department moved in on the fire, trying to protect homes in the nearby Pilgrim Creek Estates community. Residents there were told to shelter in place.

Residents were told they could evacuate, voluntarily, and head to the community center while firefighters worked to contain the fire. No mandatory evacuations were ordered.

The OFD said there was a drone flying in the area, which slowed down air attack resources trying to attack the flames. The Oceanside Police Department issued an advisory for any drone operators to cease all activity in the area.

A short time later, with the drone out of the way, helicopters were able to make water drops on the fire, stopping it from spreading toward the Pilgrim Creek community. Crews on the ground worked to surround the wildfire as well; within three hours, firefighters had a handle on it.

Crews worked throughout the night to monitor hot spots and prevent flare-ups. Thursday, crews returned to conduct additional patrols of the area.

The OFD said one firefighter suffered a minor injury from a chainsaw while battling the fire. No civilians were hurt in the fire.

She was taken to Tri-City Medical Center. No other casualties were reported. The OFD said nine fire chiefs, 14 engines, one medic unit, one air attack supervisor and two helicopters were used in the firefighting mission.

His Holiness, the 14th Dalai Lama will be giving a public address at the University of California, San Diego, ahead of his speech at the all-campus commencement Saturday.

The 14th Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, will be speaking at 10 a.m. on RIMAC Field at UC San Diego.

The lecture, Embracing the Beauty of Diversity in Our World, was open to the public but is now sold out.

San Diego Mayor Kevin Faulconer, UC San Diego Chancellor Pradeep K. Khosla, and journalist Ann Curry will be present on stage with the spiritual leader during the event.

Earlier Friday morning, Khosla welcomed the Dalai Lama to campus for a news conference.

The Dalai Lama last visited UC San Diego in 2012.

Community members and neighbors join an ongoing search for an 85-year-old at-risk missing man, last seen at his home in the Scripps Ranch neighborhood Thursday night.

San Diego police (SDPD) said Taiheng Sun suffers from Alzheimer's and he speaks very little English.

Sun was last seen at 7:32 p.m. Thursday inside his family's home in the 15000 block of Maple Grove Lane. Police said his family left the home and came back to find Sun missing.

Amid a heat wave sweeping through San Diego over the weekend, neighbors came together to help search for Sun Friday morning.

Sun does not drive and he doesn't have access to transportation.

Anyone with information is asked to call San Diego police.

Fishing is the drug of choice, once a month, for one group in Santee that works with disabled U.S. military veterans.

“Everything else sort of disappears,” said Arthur Reifman, who works with Project Healing Waters to teach disabled vets how to fly fish.

“Every day they’re in therapies and treatments,” said Reifman. “This is an opportunity for them to step aside, and step back from that, even if for just a few hours, and completely let go.”

Project Healing Waters started in 2007 and now has 200 chapters nationwide, including the one in San Diego.

In 2016, the group logged more than 230,000 volunteer hours nationally and helped more than 7,500 veterans like Dallas Obergfell, an Army National Guard veteran from Montana.

Obergfell suffered a concussion from a bomb blast in Iraq and has felt the effects of it for years.

“It’s constantly there, even when you’re sleeping, it’s there. You got the night terrors and stuff, waking up in cold sweats,” he told NBC 7.

Marc Lavigne is another one of the vets that meet at Santee Lakes every month.  The Army veteran has been going through treatment for 20 years since a truck fell onto his head and neck.

He says fly fishing is not like any other therapy.

“It almost puts me back in control of things for a little bit,” said Lavigne. “It’s relaxing; it’s motivating; it helps with the stress. Everything else just kind of melts away.”

It’s not about catching fish.

“No. It doesn’t matter,” said Reifman. “Sometimes we come out here, and the fish don’t cooperate at all.”

“You don’t have any worries. It’s just you and Mother Nature enjoying time out here,” said Obergfell.

More than catching fish, or learning how to fish, a huge part of the treatment is camaraderie.  

“We’re there for each other to talk because not a lot of other people understand what we’re going through, other than another vet,” said Lavigne.

This group has found its common ground, on the water.

For more information on how to volunteer with PHW San Diego, click here

After 40 years, the relationship between McDonald’s and the International Olympic Committee has come to an end.

McDonald’s, which began sponsoring the United States Olympic Committee in 1976 and been a partner with the IOC since 1996, terminated the relationships with both entities on Friday afternoon.

"As part of our global growth plan, we are reconsidering all aspects of our business and have made this decision in cooperation with the IOC to focus on different priorities," McDonald's Global Chief Marketing Officer Silvia Lagnado said in a statement. "We have been proud to support the Olympic Movement, and we thank our customers and staff, the spectators, athletes and officials, as well as the IOC and local Olympics Games organizing committees, for all of their support over the years."

McDonald’s will continue on as a partner with the Olympics with domestic marketing rights for the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, but their deal, which was set to run through the Tokyo 2020 games, will be terminated with immediate effect, according to CNBC.

"In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, we understand that McDonald’s is looking to focus on different business priorities," Timo Lumme, managing director of IOC Television and Marketing Services, said in a statement to AdAge. "For these reasons, we have mutually agreed with McDonald’s to part ways."

According to AdAge, McDonald’s is just the latest business to cut ties with the IOC, following the lead of other companies like AT&T, Budweiser and Hilton Hotels.

McDonald’s and the Olympic Games have a long history that dates back all the way to 1968. According to the company’s Olympic page, they airlifted hamburgers to athletes during the Winter Olympics in Grenoble, France, to help athletes deal with homesickness.

The company officially became a sponsor of the USOC in 1976, and became one of the Games’ TOP partners before the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Since then, McDonald’s has served food in the Olympic Village at each competition, and has served up specially branded advertisements, cups and other items in the years since. 

Amid rising temperatures, a brush fire sparked near La Mesa Friday afternoon, burning up a hill near an apartment complex.

The blaze began around 2:15 p.m. in vegetation along the 7000 block of Alvarado Road in an area bordering La Mesa and the College Area. 

Fire officials said the fire was burning in light fuel, traveling up a hill at a medium rate of spread. No evacuations were ordered.

About 20 minutes later, firefighters were able to knock out the fire and stop it from spreading to a nearby apartment complex.

Heartland Fire & Rescue officials said motorists should avoid the area for the next two hours as crews remain at the scene mopping up and monitoring hot spots.

No one was hurt in the fire and no buildings were damaged, officials said. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

San Diego is the nation’s top market for the number of operating craft beer breweries and ranks fifth in the U.S. for the number being planned, according to a new national report by brokerage firm Cushman & Wakefield.

Researchers said the San Diego region had 125 licensed brewing sites operating at the end of 2016, well ahead of Seattle (95), Los Angeles (75), Chicago (72) and Portland, Ore. (67). The top 10 was rounded out by Denver, Phoenix, Boulder, Co., Orange County, Calif., and Minneapolis.

The list of markets with breweries in planning was topped by Los Angeles, with 29, followed by Houston (27), Chicago (19), Seattle (19) and San Diego (18). Also in the top 10 were Orange County, Phoenix, Austin, Minneapolis and Brooklyn, N.Y.

Nearing the mid-point of 2017, the San Diego region now has more than 140 licensed brewing sites – including breweries, brewpubs and tasting rooms – and at least 25 in planning stages, according to various local industry sources.

“Two key factors have driven the growing popularity of craft brews: foodie culture and the millennial generation,” said Pamela Flora, Cushman & Wakefield’s San Diego-based director of retail research, in a statement. “While the craft brewing trend is now in a new phase of maturity, there are still many opportunities for growth in most major American markets.”

Cushman officials said the U.S. data is based on numbers collected from the Brewers Association trade group and other sources. The report’s numbers exclude locations of brewers that are now part of larger non-craft beer companies, such as San Diego’s Ballast Point Brewing & Spirits and Saint Archer Brewing Co.

Researchers said the number of active U.S. craft breweries has more than tripled over the past decade, going from 1,409 in 2006 to 5,234 in 2016. Craft brewing concepts accounted for roughly 10 million square feet of occupancy growth in the U.S. during the past year, with many breweries occupying previously blighted neighborhoods and abandoned industrial spaces.

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The man who opened fire on Republican lawmakers in Alexandria, Virginia, on Wednesday was carrying a handwritten list of House Republicans' names, NBC News' Pete Williams reports. 

According to officials briefed on the FBI investigation, the list included Rep. Trent Franks of Arizona, Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina, Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama and others who officials would not reveal.

Adding to uncertainty about the list, Franks was not on the baseball team.

Investigators say they still do not know if the shooter James T. Hodgkinson had an attack plan. They checked his laptop, cell phone and a camera and found there that indicated he had been scouting potential targets.

Rep. Steve Scalise is still in critical condition, but his health is improving, the Congressman's surgeon said two days after Scalise was shot at a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game. 

Scalise, 51, was in dire condition when he was first shot, but internal bleeding is under control and the prognosis is positive. 

"I think that an excellent recovery is a good possibility," Dr. Jack Sava, director of trauma at MedStar Washington Hospital Center said at a news conference Friday afternoon. 

The House of Representatives' No. 3 Republican leader was in grave condition when he was first shot. 

Lobbyist Matt Mika was shot multiple times and remains hospitalized. Also hurt but released from hospitals were two Capitol Police officers, David Bailey and Crystal Griner, and House GOP aide Zack Barth.

President Donald Trump said Friday that Steve Scalise “took a bullet for all of us.”

Investigators studying Wednesday's attack at a suburban Virginia park said Thursday that Hodgkinson had obtained his rifle and handgun from licensed firearms dealers. Capitol Police said they had "no evidence to suggest that the purchases were not lawful." 

Hodgkinson, a Belleville, Illinois, home inspector who had been living out of his van near the park, had a social media page filled with criticism of Republicans and the Trump administration. He died after officers in Scalise's security detail and local police fired at him. 

Scalise was fielding ground balls at second base Wednesday when he was shot at a practice for the annual Republicans-Democrats baseball game. 

The newly released financial disclosure of President Donald Trump reveals how much money he has made, as well as what he's liable for, through April 15.

The U.S. Office of Government Ethics released the 98-page document Friday, and it shows that the president carries at least $315 million in liabilities, including $130 million to Deutsche Bank, as NBC News reports.

Trump last released his financial disclosure in May 2016. He has not released his tax returns.

The disclosure also shows Trump earned nearly $20 million from the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C.

Since Trump won the election, the hotel has become a central symbol of the president's potential conflicts of interest, as some worry it is a route through which the Trump family could receive payments from foreign governments.

A firefighter was bitten by a rattlesnake at the La Cima Conservation Camp Friday, confirmed Cal Fire.

One of Cal Fire's inmate firefighters was airlifted to a nearby hospital after he was bitten in the afternoon. There was no information available on his current condition, according to Cal Fire.

The firefighter is a state prison inmate working for Cal Fire through the state's Conservation (Fire) Camps program. La Cima is one of four locations where the inmate hand crews are stationed.

No other information was immediately available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

Multiple brush fires sparked off the right hand shoulder of westbound Interstate 8 in El Cajon Friday, confirmed California Highway Patrol (CHP).

At around 6:20 p.m., Heartland Fire crews were responding to a report of brush fires burning in various locations near Lake Jennings Park Road.

A SigAlert was issued for the second lane of the I-8.

By about 7 p.m. the fires were extinguished, according to Heartland Fire. Crews responding to the fire had cleared the area. Some fire investigators remained at locations along the freeway.

No other information was immediately available.

Crews are battling a 20-acre fire on Camp Pendleton, according to Camp Pendleton officials.

Fire crews are working to put out the flames. The smoke is visible from Fallbrook.

No other information was immediately available.

Please refresh this page for updates on this story. Details may change as more information becomes available.

Braille Institute San Diego hosted a new training event to prepare the visually impaired for emergency situations Friday.

The EmergenSee class is a new effort by Braille Institute San Diego to help the visually impaired practice activities to prepare them for situations like fires, natural disasters or power outages, according to a statement.

The class was led by volunteer Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT). They provided a hands-on opportunity for the visually impaired to practice what to do in emergencies, and what extra steps to take in preparation for an accident or disaster.

“Thinking of an emergency is a scary thought for anybody, and when you’re visually impaired it can be harder and even more challenging,” said Darlene Miller, the Braille Institute San Diego’s Education Programs Manager.

“We wanted to bring in some experts and people with tips so they can feel empowered and independent to handle emergencies on their own, said Miller.

A fire truck and fire department staff was available to demonstrate various procedures taken in emergency situations, and allow class attendees to hear and recognize different sounds a fire truck makes, as well as go up and explore the fire truck.

“On a daily basis they’re dealing with simple tasks that may take longer and be more challenging than for those of us that are sighted,” said Miller. “Those little things require adaptive tools and techniques that they need to master in order to do them independently.”

Some of the extra steps the visually impaired are reminded to do is carry a white cane, count the number of steps to emergency routes, always be aware of emergency exits before an emergency occurs, and have caregiver information available.

Miller said the emergency preparedness class is just one of many available at the Braille Institute San Diego to help the visually impaired maintain independence with daily living.

Information about other classes is available on the Braille Institute San Diego website.

One patient was hospitalized after a multi-vehicle crash that blocked all lanes on southbound Interstate 805 Friday afternoon, confirmed California Highway Patrol (CHP).

Six vehicles including a truck were involved in a collision south of Imperial Avenue in the Mountain View neighborhood of San Diego. A sig alert was issued at about 2:35 p.m.

The patient was taken to a nearby hospital by paramedics. Their injuries did not appear to be life-threatening. All lanes had reopened at around 3:45 p.m., according to CHP.

No further information was immediately available. For instant updates on traffic congestion, visit NBC 7's traffic page.

A veteran and purple heart recipient has overcome severe war injuries to become one of the newest members for the Chula Vista Police Department (CVPD).

“I have never met a more able-bodied person in my life", said Chula Vista Police Chief, Roxana Kennedy, while describing the new soon-to-be sworn in CVPD officer. "The power of his attitude and character, and the strength in his heart easily overcome the physical challenges."

Christopher Lawrence, 30, originally from Milwaukee, is a decorated combat veteran who will graduate from the Southwestern College Police Academy on Saturday. He will be sworn in as one of two new police officers for the City of Chula Vista next Friday. Then, Lawrence will enter field training immediately.

His unforgettable journey as a military service member makes his transition into law enforcement truly remarkable.

"I was in Iraq, a little village called Aluz. It was an island," Lawrence told NBC 7.

In 2007, Lawrence served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. As he crossed a bridge to the mainland, insurgents watched from a distance and detonated an IED placed beneath it.

Chula Vista police say he suffered life-threatening injuries in the explosion, badly damaging his arms and legs. His comrades said the blast tossed him into the air as high as a palm tree.

After dozens of surgeries, Lawrence was told he would never walk again without assistance or have normal use of his arm, according to Chula Vista police. But he never stopped working to rehabilitate himself.

In the U.S., doctors initially worked to save both his legs, but said he'd always need to use a walker. In 2008, Lawrence made the grueling decision to have one leg replaced with a prosthetic, in the hope of prolonging his military career.

"I remember seeing a guy with one leg doing backflips down a hallway -- backflips -- and a guy with no legs sprinting down the hallway and [it] hit me. Why have two legs if I'm never going to be able to run?" said Lawrence.

Lawrence honorably retired from the U.S. Marine Corps in 2010. In the end, his decision to remove one leg actually helped secure his career in police work.

He's the first to admit his childhood didn't resemble that of a boy scout. Lawrence grew up living in and out of various foster homes in Milwaukee's inner city. But he believes his back story will help him succeed and connect with different people.

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Despite a few rejections in the application process to different police agencies, Lawrence decided to enroll in the Southwestern Police Academy to prove that he could physically do the job, said Chula Vista police. Word of his courage, physical ability and personal character spread, and soon multiple agencies competed to hire him.

Lawrence has always dreamed of becoming a police officer. Chula Vista police say he was told that would never happen after his life-threatening injury. But he overcame great hardships and never gave up on his dream.

"I could understand what some people are going through and they could maybe appreciate what I've gone through, and we can connect on another level," said Lawrence. "You needed someone to look past the story, exactly, to look past the injuries, to say the injuries don't really hold me back," explained Lawrence.

Just three months after having his leg replaced with a prosthetic, a fellow Marine veteran asked Lawrence if he could ride a bicycle from San Francisco to San Diego to support the Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), said Chula Vista police.

Lawrence was able to complete the whole trip, and ever since that, he has continued to inspire others.

In addition to the Purple Heart, Lawrence has received multiple Military Awards, including the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Combat Action Ribbon (Iraq), Iraq Campaign Medal with one campaign star, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

His colleagues described his attitude and energy as an "indistinguishable light," immediately apparent to everyone who meets him.

After being separated from her family for nearly a month, a National City woman under custody by the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) will soon be reunited with her four children.

Rosenda Perez, 48, and her husband, 51-year-old Francisco Duarte, were detained by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in May.

"They should not be detained at all," said Benjamin Prado, an immigration activist.

Francisco Duarte, 19, who shares his father's name, previously told NBC 7 in an interview that his father was handcuffed and put into an unmarked SUV when he walked to a convenience store next door to pick up a newspaper. When Duarte's mother walked out of the home to see what was going on, she was also detained.

"This is only done to criminalize immigrants," Prado said.

The couple has four children: Francisco, plus a 17-year-old son and two 12-year-old daughters. The family runs an ice cream business.

According to allegations brought up in court Friday, the couple rented ice cream carts to undocumented immigrants and profited from the sales. They also allowed the individuals to stay at their home.

The couple was detained in May on suspicion of working as stash house operators for a transnational human smuggling operation, according to CBP.

"We feel that it's a method to slander a family that's hard-working," Prado said.

Francisco also described his parents as hard workers who were targeted for being in the country illegally.

Ruben Salazar, the family's attorney, said Perez was separated from her kids for 23 days. She is now free from ICE custody on bail and will most likely be reunited with her family this weekend.

"So the message must go out, we must continue to fight," Salazar said. "Immigrant rights are human rights."

Duarte is being held in custody at the Otay Mesa Detention Center. He was considered a flight risk by the judge.

NBC 7 reached out to CBP Friday, but they did not have any further comments on this case.

Alan, a Chula Vista resident who did not want to give his last name, said he feels the issue of illegal immigration isn't black and white.

"For the people who get deported and are working, I do feel for those families," Alan said. "But for others that commit crimes and they don't really want to make this country better, then I am for it."

"I just hope they do it the right way, you know," said Karen Gray, another Chula Vista resident.

For several months now, National City has debated the issue of becoming a sanctuary or welcoming city. The City Council will discuss the issue on Monday.

A GoFundMe page was set up to help pay for the expense for the four Duarte children.

Wil Myers, Hunter Renfroe and Yangervis Solarte all homered in Friday night’s series opener against the Milwaukee Brewers. Their power at the plate took them into extra innings but the Brewers literally walked away with a 6-5 victory in the first of three games from Miller Park.

Myers set the bar high with a three run blast in the first inning and gave San Diego an early 3-0 lead. Keeping pace with the Padres 2016 all-star was Renfroe. The stand out rookie’s solo shot in the first inning was good for his 15th home run of the season.

The Brewers caught up with home runs of their own. A solo shot by Travis Shaw followed by a three run bomb by Keon Broxton had the score tied at four runs apiece after four innings.

Solarte did his part in the eighth inning with a home run to right field, his seventh of the year. But the Brewers were determined to continue this game of home run ping pong. Manny Piña went yard in Milwaukee’s half of the inning to tie the game again 5-5.

At this point every run scored from both teams was a result of a home run swing. This one would go into extra innings. In the tenth Eric Thames hit the walk off home run for Milwaukee.

Game two is set for Saturday at 1:10 p.m. PST at Miller Park.

Aside from Murrieta’s Rickie Fowler, the crowded leaderboard at the U.S. Open lacks much name recognition.

Paul Casey, Tommy Fleetwood, Brooks Koepka and lefty Brian Harman all finished Friday at (-7) after 36 holes.  

It’s the first time four golfers have shared the lead at the halfway point since the 1974 edition of the tournament.

Meanwhile, a handful of golfers with ties to San Diego are nipping on their heels with a legitimate chance to win their first major.

Torrey Pines high school graduate Jamie Lovemark (-6) carded a 69 to move up three strokes and within a shot of the lead.

The former USC Trojan who hails from Rancho Sante Fe was stronger on the back nine where he picked up four birdies.

Fowler (-6) started Friday with a one stroke lead and continued bogey-free on the front nine. 

He settled for three straight bogeys on the 11th, 12th and 13th holes before steadying the ship and saving par on his last five holes.

SDSU product Xander Schauffele gave one stroke back in the second round but still sits pretty at (-5).  

The 23-year-old is tied with four other golfers for 8th place.

Poway’s Charley Hoffman also had a good day at the office.  

Hoffman improved to (-4) after turning in a 70 for the second straight day.  

He is within striking distance – just three shots behind the leading quartet.

Torey Pines graduate Pat Perez however did not fare as well at Erin Hills. 

Perez missed the cut as did former SDSU golfer Scott Piercy. 

Even more surprising, the top three ranked golfers in the world – defending U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day – all failed to make it to the weekend after subpar showings in the first two rounds.

It’s the first time the top trio in the world rankings all missed the cut in a major.

An injured child was found lying in the street in East Village Friday evening, confirmed San Diego police.

The 11-year-old child was apparently in the street for an unknown reason, on Island Avenue and 16th Street, west of Interstate 5.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not considered life-threatening, according to San Diego police.

No other information was immediately available.

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