Blaze Blackens 5 Acres North Of Lake Skinner

WINCHESTER, CA — A wildfire that broke out Friday afternoon northeast of Lake Skinner in Winchester charred roughly five acres before being stopped with significant help from Cal Fire aircraft.

The non-injury blaze was reported about 4:15 p.m. by a Cal Fire spotter air crew overlying the location, heading southbound across the Indian Oaks Campground, toward a separate wildfire that was soon contained near Murrieta.

Two air tankers made a series of runs on the fire, closing a flank and slowing the flames, allowing time for ground resources to reach the area via dirt roads.

One structure was briefly threatened, but the flames never reached it. Fifteen engine and two hand crews stopped the fire's rate of spread shortly after 5 p.m., according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Crews were fortifying their lines as of 5:45 p.m., and full containment was achieved at about 6:05 p.m.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

—City News Service