Nixon Fire grows to 5,222 acres, 21% containment

Firefighters are reporting minimum growth of a 5,222- acre wildfire in the southern reaches of Riverside County and near the border with San Diego County that is 21% contained, authorities reported Friday.

Firefighters kept the fire within existing perimeters Thursday night but monsoons may produce lightning and increased winds Friday, fire officials said.

The Nixon Fire showed minimal growth Friday toward the northeast and southeast portions, according to a statement from Cal Fire and the Riverside County Fire Department. Firefighters continued to utilize water-dropping helicopters to assist in maintaining control lines, although the fire continues to have spots well within the containment lines producing smoke.

"Today firefighters were challenged with changing weather conditions, however, they were aided by an increase in humidity due to the monsoonal flow which was expected over the fire area," the statement said. "Crews will remain actively engaged to gain additional control over the next several days."

Officials also reported Thursday that four structures were destroyed in the fire, while another 1,783 were being threatened.

An evacuation order was implemented for the scattered homes south of Highway 371, north of the county line, west of Terwilliger Road and east of Foolish Pleasure Road. An evacuation center was established at Temecula Valley High School. Animal services personnel were expected to be on-site to assist residents as well.

Evacuation warnings were also in place in parts of Riverside and San Diego counties.

Bradford Road at Highway 371 was closed.

The blaze erupted about 12:30 p.m. Monday in the area of Richard Nixon Boulevard and Tule Peak Road, according to the RCFD. It burned southeast toward the Beauty Mountain Wilderness area.

More than 1,000 personnel wee battling the fire Thursday, including 91 engines, 22 water tenders, 24 hand crews, six helicopters and 13 dozers.

The Riverside County Sheriff's Department and San Diego County Sheriff's Department were working as unified command agencies, with support from the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Forest Service, California Highway Patrol, Caltrans, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Anza Electric, California State Parks, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Cahuilla Band of Indians, Riverside County Emergency Management Department and American Red Cross.

One flank of the fire briefly crossed into San Diego County earlier this week, blackening about 2 open acres before firefighters extinguished that section of flames, according to Cal Fire.

The proximity of the blaze to that corner of the San Diego area prompted sheriff's officials to warn residents of sparsely populated areas northeast of Oak Grove to prepare to evacuate on short notice if necessary.

Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, a former firefighter, asked Riverside County Fire Department Chief Bill Weiser at Tuesday's Board of Supervisors meeting if containment efforts might be complicated because of federal restrictions on using heavy machinery, such as bulldozers, to battle blazes in protected areas.

Weiser said he did not anticipate problems, and coordination with Bureau of Land Management administrators was "good."

The cause of the fire was under investigation.