Crime & Safety

Falls Fire Update: Full Containment Hoped for by Friday, SR 74 Closed

Update 5:01 p.m. Tanker pilots from San Bernardino and Hemet worked the Falls Fire near Lake Elsinore on Tuesday morning but they were not needed by afternoon, a base manager said.

The fire and burned area were considered 20 percent contained Tuesday afternoon and incident commanders announced they hoped for full containment by 6 p.m. Friday Aug. 9.

"This morning we had two S-2s out of Hemet and tanker 06, a P2V, and tanker 40, a BAE-146, out of San Bernardino," Airtanker Base Manager Leslie Casavan said in a phone interview.

Other aircraft, including a half-dozen helicopters, were available if needed, according to Cal Fire and the Forest Service. An estimated 1,000 personnel were assigned to the Falls Fire as of Tuesday afternoon, including 90 engine companies.

The cause of the fire was said to be under investigation.

Update 12:47 p.m. 
An estimated 1,000 personnel were assigned to the Falls Fire near Lake Elsinore as of noon Tuesday Aug. 6.

During the height of the Falls Fire on Monday, a DC-10 pilot and other tanker crews refueled and took on retardant at the USFS tanker base in San Bernardino.

As of Tuesday morning with the fire laying down and estimated at 20 percent contained, at least two tanker planes remained assigned to the blaze  if they're needed, personnel at the San Bernardino base said in a phone interview.

The estimated size of the Falls Fire burn area was down-sized overnight to just over 1,400 acres. Due to firefighting efforts, the San Mateo Wilderness, El Cariso Campground, Blue Jay Campground, the Firefighter Memorial Picnic Area and Wildomar OHV area are closed, according to the Forest Service.

Road closures include the Ortega Hwy 74 from Lake Elsinore west to the Cleveland National Forest boundary.

Update 10:30 a.m. 
The Falls Fire burn area near Lake Elsinore was considered 20 percent contained as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, according to Cal Fire-Riverside County.

Decker Canyon near Ortega Highway remained under mandatory evacuation, according to Cal Fire. Evacuation orders for residents in Lakeland Village and Rancho Capistrano communities have been lifted.

Update 8:50 a.m. 
Ortega Highway between Grand Avenue in Lake Elsinore and Antonio Parkway in Orange County remained closed due to the Falls Fire as of 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to Cal Fire and City of Lake Elsinore officials.

More than 360 personnel were assigned to the incident, including 54 engine companies, according to Cal Fire-Riverside County.

No official estimate of containment or info on the cause of the fire was available Tuesday morning.

Posted 7:15 a.m.
 Mandatory evacuation orders prompted Monday by the fast-moving Falls Fire near Lake Elsinore have been lifted for Lakeland Village but remained in effect for Rancho Capistrano and Decker Canyon, according to the Riverside County Sheriff's Department.

The fire was first reported around 10 a.m. Aug. 5 in the Cleveland National Forest near Ortega Highway and it burned an estimated 1,500 acres by Monday evening, according to the Forest Service.

The Sheriff's Department, in cooperation with the Cal Fire-Riverside County and County OES released the following statement early Tuesday:


Fire officials have determined the threat to Lakeland Village community from the 1,500 acre wildfire has been diminished. Firefighting personnel and equipment are still working in and around the affected areas. Residents are encouraged to please use caution while driving back into the area and resuming day-to-day activities. The Riverside County Sheriff's Department will continue security patrols in Lakeland Village, Rancho Capistrano and Decker Canyon as they repopulate and settle.

  • Evacuations still in effect:
  • Rancho Capistrano and Decker Canyon. These areas will remain closed until inspections of the areas affected by the fire are conducted and deemed safe for citizens to return to their residences.

    • Road Closures:
    • Ortega Highway will remain closed to thru traffic until further notice due to electrical lines and guard rail issues.

      Every attempt is being made to safely return residents to the communities of Lakeland Village, Rancho Capistrano and Decker Canyon. Fire and law enforcement officials want to thank those affected by this evacuation for their safe and efficient evacuation and patience while the Falls Fire posed a threat to their homes, infrastructure and communities as a whole. Residents returning to their homes should stay informed on the fires status, as conditions can change depending on weather and fire conditions.

      Find out what's happening in Redlands-Loma Lindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.

      For Patch coverage of the Falls Fire on Monday see:

      UPDATE: Tanker Pilots Using Hemet, San Bernardino Bases to Fight Falls Fire

      Find out what's happening in Redlands-Loma Lindawith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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