Lake Elsinore Fire Caused By Tire Blowout

Sparks from a blown-out tire on travel trailer caused a five-acre vegetation fire at Highway 74 and Ethanac Road in Lake Elsinore today.

According to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Cheri Patterson, a tire blew out on the travel trailer that was being towed. Resulting sparks, most likely caused by the wheel rim striking pavement, quickly ignited nearby dry brush at the highway’s edge, Patterson said.

The fire was reported at 1:50 p.m. and was contained about an hour later.

While no structures burned, there was concern, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Melody Hendrickson.

Shortly after the blaze broke out, Hendrickson reported an “immediate structure threat,” but by 2:44 p.m. she was able to relay, “the structure threat was mitigated.”

There were no reports of injuries from the fire or the tire blowout.

Sixty-nine firefighters and several overhead personnel battled the blaze.