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.