Tenaja Fire: Crews Near Full Containment On La Cresta Blaze

MURRIETA, CA — Five days after a blaze broke out in the community of La Cresta near Murrieta, fire crews have gained the upper hand and are nearing full containment of the so-called Tenaja Fire. What's more, all evacuation orders and warning, along with all road closures, are now lifted.

The fire was first reported at 3:55 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Clinton Keith and Tenaja roads in the unincorporated community of La Cresta. Within the first 12 hours, it had ballooned to an estimated 1,400 acres, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

As of Monday evening, after more accurate mapping over the weekend, it was estimated to have burned a total of 1,926 acres and was 92 percent contained.

Over 700 firefighters from Riverside County, Cal Fire, Murrieta Fire and Rescue, the Hemet Fire Department, Corona Fire Department, the Orange County Fire Authority and U.S. Forest Service battled the blaze. Three firefighters suffered non-life threatening injuries, officials said.

Two homes sustained minor damage, according to Cal Fire Division Chief Todd Hopkins.

Another 1,200 homes were threatened at the height of the fire, Hopkins said.

— City News Service contributed to this report.