Volcano Fire Near Murrieta Reaches 60% Containment, 144 Acres Burned

MURRIETA, CA — A brush fire that erupted in the hills west of Murrieta was 60% contained as of Thursday morning, though its perimeter was expanded to 144 acres, according to Cal Fire.

The blaze ignited shortly before 3 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Via Volcano and Tenaja roads, in the unincorporated community of La Cresta at the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve boundary, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department. A huge volcano-esque cloud of smoke erupted, and flames could be seen from nearby hilltop homes.

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Multiple engine and hand crews from the county, Murrieta Fire & Rescue, Riverside Fire Department, Corona Fire Department, Cal Fire-San Diego County, and other departments were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through medium-to-heavy brush.

At the fire's height, four Cal Fire air tankers and two water- dropping helicopters were making runs on it. However, by Tuesday night, all the fixed-wing aircraft had cleared the location. They did not return Wednesday morning, but several choppers made targeted drops until early Wednesday afternoon, when they, too, were no longer needed.

One evacuation order and one warning remained in place as of Thursday morning, covering the perimeter of the fire, and those scattered properties along Tenaja, between Avenida Caleta to the west and Clinton Keith Road to the east.

No residential properties were damaged.

During the incident, two firefighters fell ill from heat exhaustion and dehydration Wednesday morning, amid a heat advisory warning by the National Weather Service. They were both taken to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar in stable condition.

An evacuation and reception center was established at Chaparral High School, 27215 Nicolas Road in Temecula. Any evacuees with large animals were encouraged to leave them with county personnel at the Murrieta Equestrian Center, 42646 Juniper St. The Temecula CRC equestrian center has also added that it will shelter large animals.

Sheriff's deputies shut down Tenaja west of Via Volcano for public safety.

The cause of the fire was under investigation