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Threat from Holy fire, which swells to 9,614 acres overnight, leads to school closures in Riverside County

by in News

Several Riverside County school districts closed schools for Thursday as the Holy fire inched closer to neighborhoods.

By firefighters’ count, it went from 6,200 to 9,614 overnight.

“(O)ut of an abundance of caution, and because of mandatory evacuations in specific neighborhoods affected by the Holy fire, the following Lake Elsinore Unified School District schools will be closed until further notice: Luiseño School, Rice Canyon Elementary, Terra Cotta Middle School, and Withrow Elementary,” the district said on its website.

All of the schools in the Perris Elementary School District, the Perris Union High School District,  the Menifee Union School District, and the Romoland School District, as well as Santa Rosa Academy, will be closed Thursday as well.

  • Flames burn behind homes as the Holy Jim Fire burns above Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jessica Cooper, de 44 años, e Israel Chavez, de 26, ambos de Wildomar, ven cómo el Holy Jim Fire arde sobre el lago Elsinore el miércoles 8 de agosto de 2018. (Foto de Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register / SCNG)

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  • Smoke and ash fill Holy Jim Canyon after Monday’s fire. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Dalton Hot Shot fireman Joseph Darling is covered in dirt and soot after spending 16 hours on the mountainside, removing flammable debris in Holy Jim Canyon on Wednesday, Aug 8, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents view the Holy Jim Fire above Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents view the Holy Jim Fire line above Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents take in the Holy Jim Fire line above Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents look at the Holy Jim Fire from the shore of Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents look at the Holy Jim Fire from the shore of Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A man sits on his roof and watches the approaching fire along McVicker Canyon Park Road in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore load a truck as they evacuate as the Holy fire burns near their home on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Holy fire burns in the Cleveland National Forest behind homes along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A plane drops fire retardant behind homes along McVicker Canyon Park Road in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Holy fire burns near homes in Horsethief Canyon near Corona on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Having burned over 4000 acres in it’s third day, the Holy fire burns near homes in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Holy fire burns in the Cleveland National Forest behind homes along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson, left, looks at a video with Nicole Dailey, assistant to the mayor, as the Holy fire burns near homes behind them in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A plane drops fire retardant in the Cleveland National Forest behind homes along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Bobby Cruz washes fire retardant off his car after a plane made a drop behind his home on Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The mid-afternoon sun is nearly blocked out along McVicker Canyon Park Road in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burns near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Lake Elsinore Mayor Natasha Johnson, left, looks at the Holy fire as it burns near homes in Lake Elsinore as Nicole Dailey, assistant to the mayor, shoots video of the scene on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A plane drops fire retardant in the Cleveland National Forest behind homes along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Residents on Spectra Drive in Lake Elsinore pack their belongings as they are evacuated as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • The Holy fire burns in the Cleveland National Forest behind homes along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A plane drops fire retardant in the Cleveland National Forest behind homes along Crystal Ridge Court in Lake Elsinore as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A firefighter stops to talk with residents on Spectra Drive in Lake Elsinore shortly before the neighborhood was evacuated as the Holy fire burned near homes on Wednesday afternoon, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Jim Tucker and granddaughter Cinabella Calderon look south from the Horsethief Canyon Ranch neighborhood toward the Holy fire on Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2018. (Richard K. De Atley, SCNG)

  • Sheriff’s deputies talk to Forrest Gordon Clark, a 10-year Holy Jim Canyon resident. whose home was the only surviving structure in the area where he lives. Neighbors say he acts erratically and threatened firefighters with a sword while they were fighting Monday’s blaze. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Sheriff’s deputies talk to Forrest Gordon Clark, a 10-year Holy Jim Canyon resident whose home was the only surviving structure in the area where he lives. Neighbors say he acts erratically and threatened firefighters with a sword while they were fighting Monday’s blaze. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • U.S. Forest Service Incident Commander Chris Fogle speaks during a press conference on the progress of the Holy Fire in Cleveland National Forest at the Orange County Fire Authority headquarters in Irvine on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • OCFA Battalion Chief Shane Sherwood speaks during a press conference on the progress of the Holy fire in Cleveland National Forest at the Orange County Fire Authority headquarters in Irvine on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Paul Bersebach, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A pedestrian looks at the Holy Jim Fire as it burns in the mountains behind Lake Mission Viejo in Mission Viejo on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Kevin Sullivan, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Holy Jim volunteer Fire Chief Mike Milligan is keeping an eye on the fire that destroyed at least 13 homes yesterday and is still burning out of control.(Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fire engines stand by as the Holy fire burns near homes in Horsethief Canyon near Corona on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Having burned over 4000 acres in it’s third day, the Holy fire burns near homes in Lake Elsinore on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Fire engines stand by as the Holy fire burns near homes in Horsethief Canyon in Corona on Wednesday, August 8, 2018. The fire has burned over 4000 acres in it’s third day, (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Flames from the Holy fire that started in Orange County burn the Cleveland National Forest above Lake Elsinore in Riverside County on Wednesday morning, Aug. 8, 2018. (Screen grab courtesy of ABC 7 television)

  • Holy fire explodes above Dove Canyon. (Photo by David Whiting, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Riverside County Fire Department keeps watch over the night, as the Holy Jim Trailhead fire illuminates the night sky. (Photo courtesy Chris Rusanowsky)

  • Holy Jim volunteer firefighter Luke Senger stands next to a home destroyed by fire on Monday, Aug 6, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People watch firefighting efforts on the Holy Fire in Corona on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. (Photo courtesy Chris Rusanowsky)

  • Holy Jim volunteer firefighter Luke Senger shows a map to John Colclough, of homes that were destroyed in Holy Jim Canyon on Monday, Aug 6, 2018. Colclough has lived in the canyon since the early 70s. “We lost a lot today, man. This is a huge, huge hit,” he said. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A 747 Global Super Tanker 944 makes a retardant drop along a ridge during the Holy fire burning in the Cleveland National Forest near Corona, Calif. on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. Firefighters are working in rugged terrain amid scorching temperatures that have prompted warnings about excessive heat and extreme fire danger for much of the region. (Photo by Watchara Phomicinda, The Press-Enterprise/SCNG)

  • A Sheriff deputy walks up the road to a home that was spared Monday’s fire in Holy Jim Canyon. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • People watch firefighting efforts on the Holy Fire in Corona on Tuesday, August 7, 2018. (Photo courtesy Chris Rusanowsky)

  • A fire crew from San Bernardino arrives back in to Holy Jim Canyon on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2018 after the winds shift. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A firefighting helicopter kicks up dust from the parched mountain in Holy Jim Canyon on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2018. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Home owner Russ Price is surrounded by smoke, ash, and smoldering homes in Holy Jim Canyon on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2018. He doesn’t know how his structure survived. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A fire crew from San Bernardino arrives back in to Holy Jim Canyon on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2018 after the winds shift. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • Home owner Russ Price is surrounded by smoke, ash, and smoldering homes in Holy Jim Canyon on Tuesday, Aug 7, 2018. He doesn’t know how his structure survived. (Photo by Mindy Schauer, Orange County Register/SCNG)

  • A plane drops fire retardant Holy Fire burns in the Trabuco Canyon area on Monday, August 6, 2018. (Photo courtesy Patrick Smith)

  • The Holy Fire burns in the Trabuco Canyon area on Monday, August6, 2018. (Photo courtesy Patrick Smith)

  • The Holy Fire as seen from Ladera Ranch on Monday, August 6, 2018. (Photo Courtesy Richard J Eldridge)

  • Fire burns through Holy Jim Canyon in Trabuco Canyon on Monday, August 7, 2018. (OnScene.TV)

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Thursday was slated to be Romoland’s first day of school.

The Holy fire has prompted authorities to issue mandatory evacuation orders for the Lake Elsinore-area communities of:

  • McVickers Canyon
  • Rice Canyon
  • Horsethief Canyon
  • Glen Eden
  • El Cariso Village
  • Sycamore Creek
  • Rancho Capistrano
  • Holy Jim Canyon
  • Trabuco Canyon
  • The Ortega Highway corridor from the Grand Avenue in Riverside County to Nichols Institute in Orange County

Authorities have also shut down Highway 74, known as Ortega Highway, which will mean increased traffic on the 91 Freeway on Thursday.

The fire remained at 5 percent containment, officials said Thursday. Containment is the percentage of the fire’s perimeter that firefighters have determined the blaze will no long spread beyond.

Along with schools, the popular Corona retreat, Glen Ivy Hot Springs, announced it would be closed Thursday due to the fire. Nearby Glen Eden Sun Club, a nudist resort, also closed for the day.

Hundreds of firefighters continued to fight the blaze from the ground and the air; it is burning in terrain that is steep and difficult to access. The effort included the Global SuperTanker, a Boeing 747 capable of dropping 18,500 gallons of retardant.