Rose Fire Day 2: Cause Determined; Containment Grows

LAKE ELSINORE, CA — Firefighters continued to battle a wildfire in the Lake Elsinore area on Tuesday, a day after it broke out and scorched 200 acres and prompted evacuations in the region. Crews managed to prevent the Rose Fire from encroaching any closer to homes, and those evacuations have since been lifted.

"The Rose fire remains 200 acres and 10% contained," the Riverside County Fire Department reported Tuesday morning. "All Evacuation Orders and Warnings were lifted last evening and all roads are open. A day assignment consisting engines, fire crews and a water tender is in place and will remain on scene to fully contain and control the fire."

Crews continued to make progress throughout the day. The fire was 50 percent contained as of 6 p.m. and remained at 200 acres, fire officials said.

The blaze was first reported about 2:20 p.m. Monday in the 14800 block of Amorose Street, near Grand Avenue, on the edge of the Cleveland National Forest, fire officials reported. It was only 10 percent contained as of 9 p.m. Monday.

• RELATED: Click here to see a gallery of images from the Rose Fire

A department spokeswoman said 30 engine crews and five hand crews, numbering more than 200 personnel, responded to the fire, working to encircle it with the aid of six air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters.

Properties along Amorose Street, Rockridge Road, Ainsworth Place and Toft Drive were threatened, prompting evacuation orders for residents on those streets. All evacuation orders were lifted by 8 p.m. Monday.

Sheriff's deputies closed Grand between Audelo Street to the north and Plumas Street to the south to prevent traffic from getting in the way of first responders. All roads were reopened Monday night, but motorists were advised to move with caution in the fire area.

Investigators determined that the fire was caused accidentally by equipment, but authorities didn't specify what that meant.

The fire may have been started by a homeowner who was trying to clear some brush, NBC4 reported in Los Angeles. A witness told the station that a man was mowing down some of the brush and "something caught from the mower."

Along with Riverside County fire crews, personnel from the U.S. Forest Service and the Orange County Fire Authority were struggling to contain the blaze.

— City News Service contributed to this report / Images by Mark Ritter