By John Asbury and David Keck
The Press Enterprise
MURRIETA, Calif. — Firefighters gained the upper hand on a wildfire Sunday night that may have damaged or destroyed up to five homes, officials said.
The Temprano Fire, which was reported at 4:45 p.m. was declared 30 to 40 percent contained about 9:30 p.m. after blackening 150 acres, Murrieta Fire Chief Matt Shobert said.
Firefighters were investigating reports late Sunday of about three to five homes damaged or destroyed in the fire, but fire officials had not located any of the reported structures, Shobert said.
About 150 firefighters were working on the lines overnight, aided by cooler temperatures and only a slight breeze. About 180 firefighters were assigned to the fire earlier in the evening, along with a helicopter and plane.
The fire spread quickly in the late afternoon off Via Temprano Road in the Warm Springs Park and Preserve, where temperatures topped 90 degrees. Flames quickly moved through sage-covered hillsides behind winding subdivisions. It soon threatened more than 100 homes.
Voluntary evacuations were called for residents, but as of Sunday night no residents took shelter at the evacuation center set up at the Vista Murrieta High School gym.
By Sunday night, a few embers and hot spots glowed in the distance, but most flames had lain down for the night. Part of Hunter Road remained closed off Winchester Road by emergency crews and a heavy layer of smoke floated over the community.
Fire crews planned to work through the night Sunday to surround the fire and evaluate the burn area by sunrise this morning. Air crews were on standby to make additional drops this morning if needed.
The fire was reported at just 60 acres around 7 p.m., burning in the 39300 block of Via Temprano.
The cause of the fire has not been determined.
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