Holy Fire: Containment Grows As Blaze Burns 22,000 Acres

TRABUCO CANYON, CA -- Firefighters gained ground Sunday against the fast-growing Holy Fire that burned more than 22,000 acres. As of Sunday morning, the fire was 41 percent contained, according to U.S. Forest Service officials.

The fire, which prompted the evacuation of more than more than 7,400 homes and structures and 21,484 people, was started by Holy Jim resident 51-year-old Forrest Gordon Clark, according to authorities. Authorities said Clark, who faces 10 years to life in prison, destroyed at least 14 homes of his neighbors.

The growing containment is good news for firefighters who worried hot temperatures coupled with humidity and gusty winds would cause further damage.

ALSO SEE: CA Fires: 671,000 Acres Burned, Thousands Forced To Flee Homes | Funds Raised For Cabin Owners Who Lost Home In Holy Fire

People living in the Trilogy Glen Ivy community were put on notice to leave, according to Cleveland National Forest fire commanders in a warning issued at noon. Residents of the development's single-family homes and condos who have trouble driving in the dark were advised to leave now in a message posted on the Trilogy Glen Ivy website.

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the following areas:

• Glen Eden
• El Cariso
• Blue Jay
• Rancho Capistrano
• Trabuco and Holy Jim canyons
• All campgrounds in the Trabuco Ranger District were closed

Caltrans ordered the complete closure of Ortega Highway because of the proximity of the brush fire to the two-lane corridor. California Highway Patrol officers implemented the closure from Grand Avenue in Lake Elsinore to the Nichols Institute entrance in San Juan Capistrano in Orange County, covering about 28 miles.

A care and reception center was established at Temescal Canyon High School on El Toro Road in Lake Elsinore. An evacuation center is also open at San Juan Hills High School at 29211 Stallion Ridge in San Juan Capistrano.

Small animals can be taken to Animal Friends of the Valley at 33751 Mission Trail in Wildomar. Information is available by calling (951) 674-0618 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. or (951) 506-5069 between 4 p.m. and 8 a.m. For those under mandatory evacuation, animals large and small can also be taken to Rancho Mission Viejo Riding Park, 30753 La Plata Road in San Juan Capistrano.

Livestock was being accepted at Elsinore High School in the 21800 block of Canyon Drive.

--City News Service contributed to this report/Photos courtesy of Mark Ritter