A brush fire that broke out Friday on a hillside east of Temecula charred 101 acres, prompting evacuation orders, and left two firefighters injured before it was stopped.
The Pauba Fire was reported at 1:30 p.m. in the area of Pauba and Los Caballos roads, north of Highway 79, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
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The agency said engine and hand crews from the county, Hemet Fire Department, San Diego County Fire Department and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames moving to the southeast at a moderate rate.
Eight Cal Fire air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters made runs on the brusher, enabling crews to begin digging tentative containment lines out ahead of the brusher. Its forward rate of spread was stopped at 4:25 p.m.
All tankers returned to their bases shortly afterward, with only the two choppers making targeted drops.
Containment was minimal late Friday afternoon, but full containment was expected over the weekend.
Two firefighters collapsed while digging lines, suffering apparent heat stroke, according to reports from the scene. They were both taken to Temecula Valley Hospital in stable condition.
Fire department commanders issued an evacuation order for the Vail Lake Resort as the flames approached. The order also applied to the Butterfield Lake Estates, while an evacuation warning was in effect for the area north of Highway 79, south of Avenida Bravura, east of Anza Road and west of Wilson Creek.
The orders were expected to be canceled by nightfall.
Searchable maps depicting the impacted locations were available HERE .
Sheriff's deputies closed Pauba between Highway 79 to the south and De Portola Road to the north for public safety.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
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