54-acre brush fire erupts near Lake Elsinore, threatens structures; 20 percent contained

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (KABC) -- A brush fire erupted in the foothills southwest of Lake Elsinore on Sunday afternoon and grew to 24 acres amid 20 percent containment, fire officials said.

Firefighters responded about 3:40 p.m. to the so-called Canyon Fire near Highway 74 and South Main Divide in Riverside County, according to Cal Fire, which set up a unified command with the National Forest Service.
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No injuries were reported.

Multiple structures were threatened by the flames, even though the forward progress of the fire was halted, Cal Fire said. No evacuations were ordered.
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All fixed-wing aircraft were placed on "load and hold" status, while fire helicopters remained activated at the scene, officials said.

After a closure that lasted almost three hours, Highway 74 was fully reopened between Grand Avenue and the Orange County line, Caltrans said.


The cause of the incident was determined to be a house fire that spread to nearby vegetation.