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Evacuation warnings issued for several residents amid Thursday's brush fire reminded Southwest RivCo to plan and prepare.

Ashley Ludwig, Patch Staff

MURRIETA, CA — Cal Fire/Riverside County and Murrieta Fire and Rescue firefighters fully contained the brush fire that scorched nearly 60 acres in unincorporated Riverside County Thursday evening.

The blaze, dubbed the Baxter Fire, was reported at 3:25 p.m. Thursday in the 35200 block of Avenida Manana, near the area of Baxter Road and Kingsnake Avenue, just east of Interstate 215, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The blaze was 30% contained three hours later, and all evacuation warnings were removed.

Fire officials announced Friday morning that the fire was fully contained overnight, and crews would be checking for any remaining hot spots within the containment lines throughout the morning.

According to reports from the scene, five Cal Fire air tankers and a water-dropping helicopter began dropping water on the brush fire at 3:50 p.m. Thursday, significantly slowing its spread.

An evacuation warning for homes west of Briggs Road and south of Keller Road was lifted at 5:30 p.m. Thursday. No road closures were in place. A full evacuation was never implemented during this incident. Riverside County residents are reminded to plan ahead, know their evacuation zone and escape routes, and prepare a list of what they would bring in case of future evacuation warnings.

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The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Related:

Brush Fire Burns 59+ Acres Near Murrieta, Evacuation Warnings Lifted

UPDATE: A brush fire that ignited near Clinton Keith Road and Whitewood Road in Murrieta on Thursday was 30% contained as of 6 p.m., according to Patch. The fire broke out shortly after 3:45 p.m. and quickly grew from 10 acres to nearly 59.5 acres by 5:30 p.m., prompting evacuation orders. However, all evacuation orders were lifted by 6:15 p.m., according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

ORIGINAL STORY: A brush fire, named Baxter Fire, erupted near Avenue Manana in Murrieta, a city in southwestern Riverside County, California, on Thursday. Map shows the blaze is burning close to Loma Linda University Health.

“VEGETATION FIRE - RPT @ 3:25PM. 35200 block Avenida Manana in Menifee. Firefighters on-scene of 20 acres burning at a moderate rate of spread in light flashy fuels. Additional ground and air resources en-route,” CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department reported.

Murrieta Fire & Rescue wrote, “Fire is on the scene of a brush fire in the area of Clinton Keith / Whitewood Rd. Please avoid the area at this time.”

As of now, the fire is moving at a moderate rate of spread. The flames are burning in brush-covered hills to the east of Vista Murrieta High School, with residential neighborhoods located to the west.

No injuries have been reported, and no evacuations have been announced.

A local resident noted that the fire appeared close to Loma Linda University Health, writing on Facebook: “FYI, a fire started close to Loma Linda hospital in Murriet. Traffic is kind of bad right now because of fire engines and stuff rushing to get to it.  I hope they’re able to get it out so it doesn’t reach the hospital. Or surrounding houses or building.”

MURRIETA, CA — This week, a new affordable housing option opened in Murrieta. Third District Supervisor Chuck Washington was on hand to celebrate the opening of the Monamos Terrace Apartments, consisting of 139 affordable homes designed to support families, he said.

"Yesterday, I had the honor of celebrating the grand opening of the Monamos Terrace Apartments," he said over social media. "I am proud to be part of this impactful project and grateful to work alongside our dedicated partners in making affordable housing accessible to many."

The apartments, located at 25054 Monroe Avenue in Murrieta, have one, two, three, and four-bedroom apartments. According to the website, "the apartments offer extras you might need plus some that are just, well, extra. Our new one, two, three, and four-bedroom homes feature fully equipped kitchens with dishwashers and window coverings. Touches like vinyl plank flooring and large windows always make everything look and feel chicly modern."

Each home has a microwave, stove and oven, dishwasher, vinyl plank flooring, window coverings, shaker-style cabinets, energy-efficient appliances, and quartz countertops in the kitchen and bathrooms.

The community also has an indoor fitness center and outdoor fitness equipment, a clubhouse, barbecue area, playground, computer work stations, a multipurpose room, dog run, outside picnic areas, game area and bike parking.

Find out what's happening in Lake Elsinore-Wildomarfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Washington thanked all present for the grand opening. "Thank you to everyone involved in helping provide a strong foundation for stability and success for our community."

Learn more about the apartment complex here.

MURRIETA, CA — Weather forecasters say that Murrieta will trade May gray for sunshine and heat this week.

Though the past few weeks have brought spring drizzle, cooler temperatures and cloudy skies, a dramatic shift in the weather is expected to heat up Riverside County by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service.

In Murrieta, beginning Thursday, temperatures will climb to a high of 86 degrees before ascending to 93 on Friday and 96 or higher on Saturday, the hottest day of the mini-heat wave, NWS forecasters said.

"Saturday is expected to be the warmest day. High temperatures willbe as much as 15 to 20 degrees above average for the valleys withhigh temperatures for inland areas, around 35 degrees warmer thanthis very cool past Sunday," forecasters wrote on Wednesday.

On Sunday, temperatures are expected to cool to around 86 degrees in Murrieta.

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Riverside County residents can expect another cooling trend after a brief heatwave, with temperatures dropping Sunday through Tuesday — up to 10 to 15 degrees below average in the mountains, Inland Empire and high desert, according to the NWS.

The rain and snowfall were welcome news last week, as the southern reaches of the state are suffering yet again from widespread drought. But these spring storms aren't expected to help much on that front.

However, the spring storm did bring significant snow above 8,000 feet to Big Bear and "heavy" snow to the top of San Jacinto Peak, which is accessible by the popular Palm Springs Tramway, according to multiple reports.

Although the region is expected to heat up quite a bit, forecasters said record-breaking temperatures aren't likely.

As a spring storm system moves over the Southland, the weekend could be a wet one for this side of Riverside County.

Kat Schuster, Patch Staff

Posted Thu, May 1, 2025 at 1:48 pm PT|

MURRIETA, CA — Residents of Murrieta should prepare for a drizzly spring weekend as a storm system approaches Southern California, weather officials say.

After a windy and partly cloudy but otherwise warm Friday, the area could see clouds knit together and showers beginning Saturday night, the National Weather Service reported.

"A few thunderstorms should enter the mix Sunday afternoon," the NWS said of the storm. "Storm total precipitation is not impressive, around .5 inches for the mountain spots, but less than a tenth of an inch for the coast and desert."

Here's Murrieta's rain forecast by day, according to NWS:

Warmer weather is expected to return after the weekend.

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"It will be much cooler by Sunday, then gradually warmer early next week," the NWS said in its Thursday forecast discussion.

The spring drizzle comes as part of a broader storm system moving over California, bringing rainfall, wind and potential thunderstorms across the state, according to weather officials. While the storm is not expected to be intense, it is notable for May.

As the Southland heads into its dry season, a storm moving across the interior West this weekend may be one of the final chances for coastal Southern California to see significant rainfall before fall, according to a Wednesday report from AccuWeather.

The rain comes as welcome news as the southern reaches of the state suffer yet again from widespread drought. But these spring storms aren't expected to help much on that front.

"The rain and snow expected this weekend will have little to no impact on the Southern California drought since the amounts will be rather low," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill.