Evacuation orders have been canceled in Temecula, where firefighters have reached 50% containment of a 101-acre brush fire that broke out on a hillside east of town, authorities said Saturday, July 13.
The Pauba Fire was reported at 1:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Pauba and Los Caballos roads, north of Highway 79, according to the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.
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. Friday.
All tankers returned to their bases shortly afterward, with only the two choppers making targeted drops.
Two firefighters collapsed while digging lines, suffering apparent heat stroke, according to reports from the scene. They were taken to Temecula Valley Hospital where they were listed 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 evacuation warning was lifted as of Saturday morning and the fire department announced that Pauba Road was reopened.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
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