Evacuations Ordered Due To Brush Fire Near Ortega Highway
EL CARISO, CA — A brush fire erupted Thursday just west of Lake Elsinore, threatening homes and forcing the closure of the Ortega Highway.
The Macy Fire was reported at 5:42 p.m. near the El Cariso Campground, north of the Ortega (74) Highway, just west of Macy Street, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
Evacuation orders are in place as of 9 p.m. A searchable map is available at http://linktr.ee/calfirerru.
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It was initially announced that an evacuation center was open at Lakeside High School, but the location was moved to Elsinore High School, 21800 Canyon Drive in Wildomar.
The Ortega Highway is closed from Grand Avenue to the Orange County line. A SigAlert is in place. Grand Avenue is also closed from Machado Street to Maiden Lane.
Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
According to fire officials, the Ortega Highway will be closed overnight as fire resources continue to work in the area. The closure will be reevaluated in the morning.
The fire department said multiple engine and hand crews from the county and U.S. Forest Service were sent to the location and encountered flames running downhill at a “dangerous rate of spread,” heading directly toward residences alongside the federal preserve.
Four Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters immediately began runs on the fire, making drops for the protection of homes in the fire’s path, according to reports from the scene.
Firefighter strike teams were deploying from the highway into the burn zone.
There was no immediate word regarding how the blaze started.
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