Blaze Near Temecula Begins Amid Morning Thunderstorm: 100% Contained

TEMECULA, CA — Firefighters have fully contained a brush fire that burned at least 55 acres in a canyon northeast of Temecula.

The fire was reported just before 8:30 a.m. Saturday near Vail Lake Dam, north of Highway 79, where firefighters found flames burning at a moderate rate of spread, the Riverside County Fire Department reported.

By noon, the fire was 25% contained and burning deep in remote terrain. According to officials, access to the area was hampered by the remote area where the fire was burning.

At 7 p.m., officials reported they had surrounded 95% of the fire with lines of cleared vegetation and planned to spend the night patrolling for hot spots within the perimeter.

By Sunday morning, the fire department announced the fire was 100% contained, and no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire was not immediately known, however a large monsoon storm blew through the area around the same time as the fire began, nearby residents told Patch.

City News Service, Patch Editor Ashley Ludwig contributed to this report.