Macy Fire containment grows to 90%; Ortega Highway reopened

LAKE ELSINORE — Containment of the 145-acre Macy Fire in the Cleveland National Forest west of Lake Elsinore grew to 90% by Saturday afternoon as Riverside County Fire Department made strong progress surrounding the burn area.

Meanwhile, the Ortega (74) Highway, which was closed shortly after the fire started Thursday, has reopened, fire officials said.

Several Cal Fire water-dropping helicopters dropped water in support of ground crews Friday, helping to stop the wildfire's progress. At one point, a Cal Fire air tanker was making drops over the fire, but by noon, only water-dropping helicopters were required for targeted operations.

The blaze was concentrated in steep terrain, inaccessible to most firefighting vehicles.

With the fire largely concentrated in wildland and no longer posing an immediate threat to homes, evacuation orders declared Thursday evening were downgraded to warnings at 12:30 p.m. Friday. Residents were asked to stay alert and use caution as there continued to be a heavy public safety presence in the area.

The warning applied to properties north of the Ortega, south of El Cariso Truck Trail, Lancashire and Toft drives, east of North Main Divide Road, and west of Macy, Dreycott Way, and Lakeview Avenue.

No injuries have been reported.

The wildfire was reported at 5:42 p.m. Thursday in the vicinity of the El Cariso Campground, north of the Ortega Highway, just west of Macy Street, a fire department official said.

More than 200 firefighters from the Riverside County Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service and surrounding agencies were assigned.

The Ortega Highway was closed in both directions between the Orange County line and Grand Avenue in Lake Elsinore shortly before 7 p.m. Thursday after flames jumped the two-lane corridor and began burning along the southbound side. The Riverside County Fire Department announced that the highway was reopened Friday evening.

The flames erupted on a hillside and made a run downhill at a "dangerous rate of spread," Thursday heading directly toward residences alongside the federal preserve, according to the department.

Five Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters immediately began runs on the blaze, making drops for the protection of homes in the fire's path.

One structure was lost.

An evacuation order was issued for all properties north of the Ortega, south of El Cariso Truck Trail, Lancashire and Toft drives, east of North Main Divide Road and west of Macy, Dreycott Way and Lakeview Avenue.

And an evacuation center was established at Elsinore High School in Wildomar.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Macy Fire containment grows to 90%; Ortega Highway reopened