Controlled burn causes smoke in Lake Elsinore area

LAKE ELSINORE - A controlled burn in the Cleveland National Forest was causing visible smoke in the Lake Elsinore area Thursday afternoon. The California Highway Patrol received some reports of flames and smoke in the hills west of Lake Elsinore on Thursday. Kevin Ferris with the Trabuco Ranger District, which covers the section of the Cleveland National Forest that straddles the border between Riverside and Orange counties, confirmed to Valley News any visible smoke is from a planned 80-acre burn in the area. The Riverside County Fire Department also confirmed there were no wildfires near Lake Elsinore or Wildomar as of about 1:30 p.m. Thursday. The prescribed burn is one of three the Cleveland National Forest had scheduled for various parts of the forest area this week, accor