Wildomar Fire threatens commute on Ortega Highway

A tanker drops fire retardant chemicals on a brush fire that has covered more than 350 acres in the Cleveland National Forest. Photo courtesy of Cleveland National Forest Twitter page

Commuters heading west out of Menifee toward Orange County Friday morning could be affected by the Wildomar Fire, which had covered 350 acres by late Thursday evening and had forced evacuations in the Lakeland Village community, fire officials said.

It was unclear Thursday night whether travel on the Ortega Highway would be affected by the blaze, which started about 12:30 Thursday afternoon in an Off Highway Vehicle area in the Cleveland National Forest. The fire's origin was less than five miles southeast of Ortega Highway, which is a main commuter route for motorists from Lake Elsinore into Orange County.

According to a California Highway Patrol report, the fire started when a man crashed his dirt bike into a tree and gasoline leaking from the bike's tank ignited. By 5 p.m., the fire had moved northeast, spreading over 200 acres and forcing evacuations of five residences along Hixon Truck Trail. By 8 p.m., 350 acres had burned and the fire was 15 percent contained, according to Cleveland National Forest officials. Evacuations had been expanded to include homes in Lakeland Village west of Grand Avenue, north of McVicar Street and south of Akley Street in Lake Elsinore and Wildomar.

Smoke from the fire could be seen for miles, including from Menifee. Fire officials said there probably would no more updates on the fire until Friday morning.

The Wildomar Fire was glowing in the night sky as seen from across Lake Elsinore Thursday night. Photo by Nate Ballard