Cal Fire has lifted the evacuation orders for the Chaparral Fire, which is now 50 percent contained. Crews continue to battle the brush fire that's destroyed at least two homes and burned 1,500 acres along the San Diego and Riverside county line.
The Chaparral Fire began Saturday afternoon in the Cleveland National Forest, near the southwest edge of the Riverside County community of La Cresta. The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, also known as Cal Fire, has confirmed the fire is 13 percent contained as of Monday.
According to the Riverside County Fire Department, one firefighter experienced minor injuries while battling the blaze.
Though all evacuation orders and warnings were lifted at noon on Tuesday, Aug. 31, fire officials recommended that non-residents stay away from the area until Cleveland National Forest Closure Orders were also removed.
Residents north of Tenaja Truck Trail, south of Calle Cielo, east of Calle Collado and west of Calle Be Bietol were under orders from Cal Fire to evacuate on Monday.
The department announced evacuation warnings for north of Tenaja Road, west of Calle Pino/Gallop Lane, south of Hombre Lane and west of Cleveland National Forest Road. CAL Fire urged residents to leave immediately.
An evacuation map is available here.
Murrieta Valley High School is open as an evacuation center at 42200 Nighthawk Way in Murrieta.
Small animals can be taken to Animal Friends of the Valley at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar and large animals can be taken to San Jacinto Animal Campus at 581 S. Grand Avenue in San Jacinto.
Riverside County dispatched 150 firefighters to fight the flames, along with two helicopters and four air tankers. The department has been attacking the fire from the ground and the air.
It is not yet clear what started the fire.
Parts of Orange and Riverside Counties were placed under a smoke advisory Monday morning because of the Chaparral Fire’s continued blaze.
Air quality officials said the smoke is affecting a wide area from Mission Viejo to Temecula and Lake Elsinore. Anyone who can smell smoke or see falling ash should remain inside, avoid physical activity and run their air conditioning, according to officials.
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