Large brush fire near 215 Freeway in Murrieta prompts evacuations

MURRIETA, Calif. (CNS) -- A large brush fire broke out in Murrieta Saturday, prompting immediate evacuation orders and a freeway closure.

The fire was reported about 1:45 p.m. Saturday along the east side of Interstate 215 between Los Alamos and Clinton Keith roads, according to the Murrieta Police Department.

Structure fires were reported along Whitewood Road.

An immediate evacuation order was issued for the area east of I-215, west of Whitewood Road and north of Los Alamos Road. An evacuation warning was issued for the area east of Whitewood Road, west of Ruth Ellen way and north of Los Alamos Road.

I-215 was shut down to traffic between Los Alamos Road and Clinton Keith Road.

Around 4:15 p.m., the Murrieta Police Department announced the evacuation orders were lifted and Whitewood Road was reopened. One lane on the northbound I-215 was opened at the same time.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

Firefighters battle brush fire in Sepulveda Basin

Firefighters stopped the forward progress of a brush fire that grew to 75 acres Saturday afternoon in the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Area.

The fire was reported at 12:50 p.m. in the 15700 block of West Burbank Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.

It was first reported at five acres, with a slow rate of spread, and was not threatening any infrastructure or buildings, the department's Brian Humphrey said.

The area's Apollo 11 Model Aircraft Field was "calmly evacuated'' as a precaution, he added.

At 2:35 p.m., Humphrey reported that 69 firefighters stopped all forward progress of the fire northwest of the intersection of Burbank Boulevard and Woodley Avenue. Efforts to put out the fire continued.

No injuries were reported.

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