UPDATED AT 10AM TUESDAY, AUGUST 14, 2018
As firefighters continue to get the upper hand on the Holy Fire burning in foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains west of the I-15 Freeway between Corona and Lake Elsinore, Highway 74 - The Ortega Highway - between Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistano - has reopened to traffic. The highway through the Santa Ana mountains' Cleveland Natoinal Forest has been closed since the day the Holy Fire was reported more than a week ago. More evacuation orders have been lifted, but one area still has a voluntary evacuation notice in effect. Many area schools have been forced to close or delay classes, thanks to the Holy Fire. KVCR's Ken Vincent has this update.
Evacuation orders continue to be lifted in Lake Elsinore area communities and a voluntary evacuation remains for a community in Temescal Valley area as firefighters made progress on taming the Holy
Fire ... which has burned 22-thousand-986 acres and is now 59 percent contained.
Authorities have reopened Ortega Highway 74 between Lake Elsinore and San Juan Capistrano to traffic for the first time since the blaze first broke out more than a week ago. In a statement issued Tuesday morning, Holy Fire Incident Command authorities reminded returning residents that the power is off in the Highway 74 corridor, and that Edison is working to restore power to the area as soon as possible. Authroties also said that firefighters continue to work with heavy equipment in the area, which still has active flare- ups and smoke, and asks that Highway 74 drivers please drive cautiously to keep firefighters safe.
The Trilogy Glen Ivy retirement community in Temescal Valley - located in the foothills of the Santa Ana Mountains west of the 15 freeway - was placed under a voluntary evacuation order early yesterday (Monday), affecting some 1,300 local residents. On the other hand, mandatory evacuations orders have been lifted for the Glen Eden and Lake Elsinore communities. Mandatory evacuations remain in place for the El Cariso, Blue Jay, and Rancho Capistrano areas.
More than 13-hundred firefighters are battling the Holy Fire, which broke out early on the afternoon of August 6th near Holy Jim Canyon in Orange County. The suspect accused of intentionally starting the fire is due in court later this week.
With firefighters appearing to be gaining the upper hand ... Menifee Union School District schools reopened yesterday ... five days after their school year was supposed to begin. Other affected districts delayed their first days of school until next week. The Lake Elsinore Unified School District will
go back on August 20th.
Schools in the Corona-Norco Unified School District south of the 91 Freeway and east of Border Avenue in Corona also pushed back the first day of school until next Monday. The city of Corona has announced a
day camp to help working parents of students this week. It will be open from 7 in the morning to 6 in the evening daily. Fees are 110 dollars for residents and 140 dollars for non-residents.
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS REMAIN FOR:
Holy Jim, Trabuco Canyon recreation residence tracts, Blue Jay and Falcon Campgrounds, El Cariso Village, and Rancho Capistrano.
EVACUATIONS LIFTED:
Horsethief, Glen Eden, Riverside, Machado, Shoreline, Sycamore Creek, McVicker and Rice Canyon.
VOLUNTARY EVACUATION:
Trilogy Community
Evacuation center:
•Riverside: Temescal Canyon High School, 28755 El Toro Rd Lake Elsinore CA 92532 for residents.
FOR MORE OFFICIAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE HOLY FIRE, CLICK HERE
