Brush Fire Near Temecula Threatened Homes, Forced Road Closures
250 Acres Burned
TEMECULA
Monday, September 10, 2007 20:05 PDT

A brush fire that broke out Monday afternoon burned about 250 acres in
several hours, briefly threatened homes in a rural area near Temecula and
forced the closure of several roads, authorities said.

The blaze was reported at 14:45, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

The homes in the area are large, on parcels up to about 20 acres, said fire
Capt. Lori Hutchinson.

By 16:45, the fire had consumed 250 acres and was burning in a northwest
direction up steep terrain, away from homes.

"We're very cautiously optimistic," Hutchinson said early Monday night.

"It's not growing much bigger," she said. "(But) it's considered out of
control until we have containment lines around it."

Firefighters were originally sent to the area on a report of a fiery traffic
crash, which possibly sparked the blaze, fire officials said.

By 17:00 the blaze had burned up to the Santa Rosa Plateau, but homes were
no longer threatened, De Guevara said.

An hour later, a slight shift in the wind pattern began pushing smoke across
the plateau to the east, toward Temecula.

Hutchinson said 325 firefighters would be working through the night to
contain the flames.

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3 Teenage Suspects Sought In Temecula Wildfire
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 14:36 PDT

Three teenagers believed to have been in a stolen car that crashed near
Temecula and burst into flames, starting a wildfire, were being sought
Tuesday, while firefighters worked to contain the 430-acre blaze.

The fire was about 50 percent contained, or surrounded, as of midday, and
more than 700 firefighters were assigned to operation, fire officials said.

Containment is expected by 08:00 Wednesday.

Law enforcement officers were looking for three teenagers in the crash of a
black, four-door, 2006 Honda Accord that had been stolen in Murrieta earlier
in the day.

The fire was believed to have been ignited by the Accord, which crashed into
a rock.

After the crash, three youths ran from the car.

One of the suspects may have a serious back injury.

A black, four-door Toyota Tundra was called to pick them up.

Large homes in the area