See Smoke In San Juan Capistrano? It's Not What You Think

SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO, CA — If you see smoke in the sky near the Ortega Highway, worry not. Crews at the Cleveland National Forest were performing controlled burns in the forest just west of Lake Elsinore, a spokesperson for the Cleveland National Forest wrote on Twitter.

READ MORE: Controlled Burns Send Smoke Across RivCo: Necessary To Area Forests

The controlled burns started Thursday morning within the Trabuco Ranger District, near the El Cariso Fire Station near the State route 74 highway. Officials said the smoke would be visible from the Ortega Highway, the Interstate 5 and the Interstate 15.

Residents were asked to refrain from reporting the smoke to local authorities.

A representative with Cleveland National Forest said the operation would continue as long as the winds did not strengthen.