Mandatory Evacuations Called In Elsinore, RivCo For Holy Fire

See Thursday's updates here: Holy Fire: Latest On Elsinore, RivCo Evacs, Closures

LATEST UPDATE 9:37 P.M.: A 6,200-acre wildfire in the Cleveland National Forest that was allegedly intentionally set by an Orange County man approached subdivisions on the west of end of Lake Elsinore Wednesday, prompting mandatory evacuations and the closure of a highway between Orange and Riverside counties.

The Holy Fire made a downhill run toward the El Cariso and McVicker Park communities, leading authorities to call in air strikes to protect the residential areas, which abut federal land. U.S. Forest Service rangers also requested additional strike teams from the Riverside County Fire Department to deploy for structure protection.

According to police, forest service and city officials, the following areas are under mandatory evacuation:

• McVicker
• Rice Canyon
• Horsethief Canyon
• Glen Eden
• El Cariso Village
• Sycamore Creek
• Rancho Capistrano
• Ortega Highway corridor from Lookout Restaurant to Nichols Institute.
• Painted Canyon
• Blue Jay Campground
• Indian Canyon
• Mayhew Canyon

What's more, Caltrans ordered the complete closure of the Ortega (74) Highway, portions of which had already been shut down, because of the proximity of the brush fire to the two-lane corridor. By 3 p.m., California Highway Patrol officers had implemented the closure from Grand Avenue in Lake Elsinore to the Nichols Institute entrance in San Juan Capistrano, covering about 28 miles. (Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest news from your California neighborhood. Also, download the free Patch iPhone app or free Patch Android app. Also, be sure to follow your local Patch on Facebook!)

Caltrans spokeswoman Terri Kasinga recommended that motorists use the Riverside (91) Freeway and state Route 76 as alternates.

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LAKE ELSINORE, CA — New voluntary evacuations were announced Wednesday for the Lake Elsinore area as the Holy Fire continues to burn out of control nearby. As of 10:30 a.m., the following communities are under evacuation warning, according to local leaders and the sheriff's department (scroll down for a video update from Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson):

• Sycamore Creek
• Rice
• McVicker
• Rancho Capistrano Community
• El Cariso Village
• Blue Jay
• Horse Thief Canyon
• Glen Eden

"The #HolyFire continues to make a push E/NE towards Horsethief Canyon," the Cleveland National Forest said on Twitter. "This has placed Sycamore Creek, Glen Eden Canyon and Horsethief Canyon communities in voluntary evacuations."

The below map, shared by Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, highlights the parts of town affected by the fire: (click here for a larger version)

"My office has just attended briefings at the staging area in McVicker Park and the Emergency Operations Center Downtown, and here is what we know--Voluntary evacuations have been added for McVicker, Rice Canyon, and Sycamore Creek," Jeffries said on Facebook. "They are likely to wait until 2:30 to determine whether to make evacuations mandatory."

SEE ALSO: Holy Fire: Arson Suspected As Flames Inch Closer To Elsinore

According to the city of Lake Elsinore, a "care and reception center" is now open for those affected at Temescal Canyon High School. Small animals can be brought to the school, but large animals should be taken to Elsinore High.

The Holy Fire has increased in size to 4,129 acres in tinder dry vegetation in the Holy Jim area of the Cleveland National Forest and was 5 percent contained Wednesday.

The blaze was first reported about 1:15 p.m. Monday near Holy Jim Canyon and Trabuco Creek roads, Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Tony Bommarito said.

On Tuesday, the size of the fire had been listed at 3,399 acres, but it increased in size near the Horsethief Canyon area, authorities said Wednesday.

There will be continued aerial and ground firefighting efforts Wednesday, with 10 helicopters and seven fixed-wing aircraft assisting ground crews, who are building bulldozer lines, authorities said.

About 385 firefighters were battling the blaze. With so many wildfires throughout the state, the firefighting personnel has been spread thin, Bommarito said.

"Fire will continue to spread southeast and north with only limited spread to the west," according to a Cleveland National Forest statement. "The lack of resources for direct attack will allow the fire to spread into new areas, and align for strong head-fire runs and potential for an `Elsinore' downslope event.

Firefighters had been particularly worried about the northeast flank, where the flames were a few miles away from homes, said Kathy Kramer, a spokeswoman for the unified fire management team led by the Cleveland National Forest and the Riverside branch of Cal Fire.

This is a breaking news story. Refresh for the latest.

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Images no. 1, 3, 4 and 5 by Mark Ritter. Image no. 2 courtesy: City of Lake Elsinore / City News Service contributed to this report