Evacuations lifted for areas near Manzanita Fire

Evacuations have been lifted for communities near the Manzanita Fire in Lambs Canyon south of Beaumont, fire officials said today.

The fire, which began on Monday, has covered 6,309 acres and is 43 percent contained. All lanes of Highway 79 are open. That stretch of highway from San Jacinto to Beaumont is often used by motorists to and from Hemet and areas beyond, including the Menifee Valley.

Previous evacuations were for residents on Highland Home Road, Death Valley Road, Longhorn Road and Shirleon Drive in a sparsely populated foothill area near the fire. All have been lifted.

The fire was reported at 3:10 p.m. Monday and was the result of a traffic collision, according to a Fire Department news release. Two patients were transported to a local hospital with unspecified injuries.

Nearly 600 firefighters have battled the blaze, which started near the midway point of the mountain pass, close to Dump Road. Smoke could be seen from Menifee to the northeast.