A brush fire that erupted in the hills west of Murrieta was 60% contained Wednesday, holding at 138 acres.
The blaze was reported at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Via Volcano and Tenaja roads, in the unincorporated community of La Cresta, along the boundary of the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Preserve, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said 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 height of the brusher, four Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters were making runs on it. However, by nightfall Tuesday, all of 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 Wednesday afternoon, covering scattered properties along Tenaja, between Avenida Caleta to the west and Clinton Keith Road to the east.
No residential properties were damaged.
Two firefighters fell ill from heat exhaustion and dehydration Wednesday morning. They were 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.
Sheriff’s deputies shut down Tenaja west of Via Volcano for public safety.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.