Volcano Fire burns near Murrieta, forcing evacuations and shelter openings

A brush fire dubbed the Volcano Fire raced through dry brush near Murrieta on Tuesday afternoon, forcing evacuation orders in the La Cresta area and opening shelters for people and large animals. The blaze was logged at about 2:50 p.m. near Via Volcano and Tenaja Road and was burning medium to heavy brush at a moderate rate.

By 5:00 p.m., an air tanker “no divert” order had been issued because of an immediate life threat, with structures expected to be threatened imminently. CAL FIRE requested additional engines and aircraft as the fire spread in the unincorporated Murrieta area of Riverside County.

Evacuation orders were issued for zone RVC-2146, while warnings covered surrounding areas including RVC-2076, RVC-2077, RVC-2143-A, RVC-2144, RVC-2198-A, RVC-2246, RVC-2292, RVC-2145, RVC-2147, RVC-2197, RVC-2198-B, RVC-2243, RVC-2244 and RVC-2245. By 7:33 p.m., some evacuation orders had been reduced to warnings.

CAL FIRE listed Chaparral High School in Temecula as an evacuation shelter and the Murrieta Equestrian Center as a large-animal shelter. Hard road closures were posted on Tenaja Road between Avocado Messa and Avenida La Cresta, along with Los Gatos / Carancho Road, cutting off access through the rural canyons and dirt-road neighborhoods around the burn area.

At 3:35 p.m., the incident had 19 engines, 1 water tender, 3 helicopters, 2 dozers, 4 hand crews and 125 total personnel on scene.

By 9:59 p.m., Intel Flight had mapped the fire at 137 acres and 25% contained. The blaze burned along the boundary of the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve and in the unincorporated community of De Luz, where residences sit on large lots reached by dirt roads. No injuries were reported, and the cause remained under investigation.