Macy Fire in Lake Elsinore area forces evacuations, threaten homes

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, Calif. - A wildfire broke out in the Lake Elsinore area Thursday, forcing nearby residents to evacuate.

The "Macy Fire," which was first reported just before 6 p.m. Thursday, July 25, in vegetation near Macy Street and Orange Street, had burned approximately 145 acres. The fire was fully contained on July 28.

All evacuation orders and warnings have since been lifted.

Ground crews had been working to contain the blaze and address hotspots since Thursday night. Highway 74, which provides access to the area where the fire is burning, was closed from Grand Avenue to S. Main Drive but has since reopened.

One structure has been destroyed, although officials have not confirmed whether it was a home. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.