Cleveland National Forest: Evacuation orders lifted, blaze at 850 acres

A fast-moving wildfire that ignited in a remote off-road vehicle park in the Cleveland National Forest grew to 850 acres on Friday, but firefighters were gaining control as cooler temperatures prevailed, officials said.

The Wildomar fire, which began Thursday after a motorcyclist crashed into a tree, was 50% contained and evacuation orders in Wildomar and La Cresta were lifted by 6 p.m.

The fire was reported about 12:30 p.m. Thursday about eight miles down South Main Divide Road from Ortega Highway.

An 18-year-old man was riding alone on a dirt road when he hit a bump and lost control of his Yamaha motorcycle and crashed into a tree, California Highway Patrol Officer Mike Lassig said. The throttle of the motorcycle got stuck, and the tank sprang a leak, lighting the tree and surrounding brush on fire.

The rider attempted to put out the flames “using what was around him,� then ran two to three miles to grab his cellphone in his truck and call authorities, Lassig said.

The rider, who was wearing a helmet and off-road motorcycle gear, sustained minor scrapes, Lassig added.

Hundreds of firefighters — including air and ground crews — were battling the blaze. Fire officials said cooler temperatures over the weekend should help contain the flames.

“We’re hoping that’ll get us the head start that we need,� said Olivia Walker, public affairs officer for the Cleveland National Forest.

Authorities ordered evacuations for homes on Hixson Truck Trail and parts of the La Cresta community. A total of 200 homes were evacuated before the orders were lifted Friday evening, according to forest officials.

The off-roading trails are used mostly on weekends by motorcyclists and Jeep drivers, said Jeanna Smith, an administrative assistant for Cleveland National Forest. Riders must be equipped with spark arresters, Smith said.

“We have pretty strict rules� because of the fire danger, she added.

In some areas, the trails are surrounded by oily chaparral up to 20 feet tall that has not burned in decades, Smith said.

“The fuels are still really, really dry out there,� Smith said. “Luckily the winds aren’t blowing like they were [during] the Canyon 2 fire� in Anaheim, she said.

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UPDATES:

8:15 p.m.: This article was updated with containment numbers and the lifting of evacuation orders.

8:30 a.m.: This article was updated to add that 200 homes were evacuated.

This article was originally published at 7:15 a.m.