Holy Fire: 1,500 Firefighters Battle Growing Blaze

TRABUCO CANYON, CA -- More than 1,500 firefighters continued Saturday to battle the fast-growing Holy Fire that burned more than 21,000 acres. As of Saturday evening, officials said the blaze, which had erupted in Orange County before spreading to Riverside County, was 36 percent contained.

The fire prompted the evacuation of more than more than 7,400 homes and structures and 21,484 people, officials said.

Authorities said Forrest Gordon Clark, 51, is accused of igniting the blaze in Holy Jim Canyon, where all the cabins but his own were destroyed. But in a court appearance, Clark called the charges a "lie" and said he was being threatened.

Clark's arraignment was delayed until Friday, Aug. 17. Clark could face 10 years to life in prison. He also faces sentencing enhancements for arson of multiple structures.

Officials said temperatures between 91 and 97 degrees, 30 to 40 percent humidity and gusty winds of 25 miles per hour would challenge firefighters this weekend.

"Drying and warming over the weekend with gusty local winds with mid-level moisture will return to the area leading to more instability, gusty winds and a chance for thunderstorms," officials said in a statement.

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

Mandatory evacuations were ordered for the following areas:

• Glen Eden
• El Cariso Village
• Sycamore Creek
• Rancho Capistrano, along with the Ortega (74) Highway corridor from the Lookout restaurant to the Nichols Institute
• Trabuco and Holy Jim canyons
• Blue Jay and El Cariso campgrounds

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/Photo: Neighbors and firefighters clean up damage at Horse Thief Canyon. Photo courtesy of Mark Ritter