Tenaja Fire: More Schools Close, Evacuations Continue

READ FRIDAY'S UPDATE ON THE TENAJA FIRE HERE: Tenaja Fire: Evacuations Modified, Containment Grows In La Cresta

MURRIETA, CA — Now more than 24 hours since a large wildfire broke out in the rolling hills of Southwest Riverside County in the community of La Cresta, evacuation orders remain in place and classes are canceled at all Murrieta and Lake Elsinore public schools. The so-called Tenaja Fire is now an estimated 1,974 acres and just 20 percent contained, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The brush fire was first reported at 3:56 p.m. Wednesday in the area of Clinton Keith and Tenaja roads, according to fire officials. It's burning on the Santa Rosa Plateau area. Though the official cause of the blaze is under investigation, a thunderstorm cell moved through the area just prior to the fire, and lightning strikes were recorded in the area.

Power was also briefly knocked down to more than 1,000 customers, but was restored by late Wednesday night, according to Southern California Edison.

SEE: 40 Incredible Images That Show The Magnitude Of The Tenaja Fire

In the course of an hour Wednesday night, the fire exploded from 250 acres burned to nearly 1,000 acres, the fire department said.

As of Thursday, two homes had sustained minor damage, according to fire officials. There are no reports of injuries.

The fire agency reported more than 800 personnel were sent to the location and encountered flames in heavy vegetation. Along with county crews, firefighters from Murrieta Fire & Rescue and other agencies are working to contain the fire.

"There's difficult terrain to access the fire," Cal Fire Division Chief Todd Hopkins said during a news briefing in Murrieta on Thursday evening.

"In this area, there's also something called the 'Elsinore Effect,' where the winds come in one direction in the morning and then turn 180 degrees in the afternoon, causing the fire to run downhill, back into neighborhoods. We expect the same weather pattern Friday."

On Thursday, both Murrieta Valley Unified School District and Lake Elsinore Unified School District announced that all schools and facilities within their systems will be closed on Friday. However, students in nearby Temecula Valley Unified School district will have to report to class on Friday.

"We are aware that some of our neighboring districts have decided to close," TVUSD said on Facebook. "They are more significantly impacted by poor air quality and smoke that is moving into their areas, as well as logistical issues for some due to evacuations and school sites being used as shelters for area evacuees."

EVACUATION ORDERS AND ROAD CLOSURES

All residents on Belcara Place, Botanica Place, Lone Oak Way, Montanya Place, The Trails Circle and Copper Canyon North and South, between Clinton Keith Road and Murrieta Creek Drive, were under mandatory evacuation orders, while areas of Bear Creek were under a voluntary evacuation warning. The Santa Rosa Plateau Visitor Center was closed Wednesday.

A care and reception center was available for displaced residents at Murrieta Mesa High School. Small animals were being accepted at that location, while larger animals, including horses, were being accepted at the county's San Jacinto Animal Campus on Grand Avenue.

Parking for horse trailers was available at Los Alamos Hills Sports Park on Ruth Ellen Way in Murrieta, and people with recreation vehicles or motorhomes were invited to utilize free space and hookups at the Lake Skinner Recreation Area on Warren Road.

Clinton Keith Road was closed south of Avenida La Cresta, and Tenaja Road was shut down between Via Volcano and Clinton Keith Road for public safety and to give crews freedom to maneuver.

To find the absolute latest on evacuation orders, click on this interactive map provided by the County of Riverside. There, you can enter your address to see if you are affected.

The county Department of Public Health issued an air quality advisory, warning residents north and east of the Tenaja blaze that fire debris could have negative health impacts.

"Ash and smoke can be hard on anyone to breathe, but especially those with lung disease," said Dr. Cameron Kaiser, the county's public health officer. "Everyone worries about the flames, but smoke can impact you even if you're miles away from the fire."

Kaiser recommended young children and those in sensitive health stay indoors and run air conditioners -- with unobstructed filters -- to minimize the effects of smoke and ash.

— City News Service contributed