Brush Fire in Winchester Area Stopped at 8 Acres; 1 Home Damaged

UPDATE 6:53 p.m. July 17:

In an update posted at 3 p.m. Wednesday, CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department reported that the damage to a home during Tuesday's 8-acre brush fire in French Valley was caused by a falling rock, not by flames.

"The damage was caused by a rock that hit it, not by fire," said CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department Spokeswoman Jody Hagemann.

The damage was described as "superficial."

UPDATE: 5:08 p.m. July 16:

One home was damaged in a fire that threatened the French Valley area Tuesday afternoon.

The extent of damage to the home was not known as of publication time, according to Mark Annas, spokesman for CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department.

Firefighters were expected to remain on scene for several hours for mop up, Annas wrote in an updated incident report.

Eighty-five firefighters from CAL FIRE and Murrieta Fire responded to the blaze that was reported at 3:22 p.m. at Whisper Oaks and Hidden Lake roads.

Also deployed were one bulldozer and one air tanker.

The brush fire was contained to eight acres at 4:35 p.m.

UPDATE 4:47 p.m. July 16:

The fire in French Valley was contained to eight acres at 4:35 p.m., according to Mark Annas, spokesman for CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department.

He planned to release an updated report shortly.

UPDATE 3:55 p.m. July 16:

CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department confirmed they working on a brush fire at Hidden Lake Road and Whisper Oaks Road in the French Valley area of Winchester, east of Murrieta and Temecula.

"CAL FIRE/Riverside County and Murrieta Firefighters are on-scene of a vegetation fire estimated at 5 to 10 acres burning at a moderate rate in French Valley," wrote CAL FIRE Spokesman Mark Annas, in an incident report. "Updates will be posted as information becomes available."

ORIGINAL POST July 16:

Crews were attacking a brush fire that was reported at 3:21 p.m. Tuesday in the Winchester area near Murrieta and Temecula, California Highway Patrol is reporting.

The blaze was reported near the area of Pourroy and Buena Ventura roads, according to CHP’s incident page and radio calls, and was spreading in an easterly direction.

Radio traffic indicated that Cal Fire/Riverside County crews were on scene, and that Murrieta firefighters had been called to assist.