Waking up to the smell of smoke in the Temecula Valley is enough to make anyone's heart race. Honestly, after the brush fires we’ve seen over the last couple of years, that collective anxiety is pretty understandable.
If you are looking for information on fires in Temecula California today, the situation is thankfully much calmer than the harrowing headlines we saw during the peak of the Santa Ana wind season. As of January 14, 2026, there are no major out-of-control wildfires threatening the city limits or the surrounding wine country. However, that doesn't mean the local fire crews have been sitting idle.
Just yesterday, January 13, Cal Fire/Riverside County firefighters were scrambled to the Paseo Del Sol neighborhood. It wasn't a brush fire, but it was still a mess: a CR&R trash truck caught fire right at the intersection of Brewster Court and San Marco Drive.
The Current Fire Landscape in Riverside County
Basically, while we aren't seeing massive "mega-fires" this morning, the risk is never zero in our pocket of Southern California. The local weather has shifted into that classic winter "whiplash" pattern. We have cool, moist mornings followed by dry, warm afternoons that can desiccate the light fuels—the grasses and mustard stalks—very quickly.
Looking at the official logs from the Riverside County Fire Department, the activity level is currently classified as "normal," but "normal" for us still involves hundreds of emergency responses.
- Vail Lake Area: The 55-acre Vail Fire, which caused quite a stir northeast of town near Highway 79 South, is 100% contained. You might still see some charred earth out there, but there is no active heat.
- Neighborhood Incidents: Most of what is happening today consists of small, localized calls. On January 12, there was a minor fire call reported on Puffin Street, which crews handled before it could spread to nearby structures.
- Regional Context: We have to keep an eye on the neighbors. While Temecula is clear, there have been recent wildfires in San Bernardino and Los Angeles counties this week—like the Roadrunner fire—reminding us that the fuel moistures in the region are still critically low in some spots.
The Tragedy in Nuevo: A Reminder of the Risk
It is impossible to talk about the fire situation in our area right now without acknowledging a heavy loss. This week, the firefighting community is mourning Fire Apparatus Engineer Daniel "Danny" Cook.
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He passed away in the line of duty while battling a house fire in nearby Nuevo. It happened in the 31300 block of Marcuchio Road. While it wasn't a wildfire, it hits home for the crews out of Station 84 and Station 12 who serve the Temecula area. These are the same men and women who keep the hillsides from erupting during the high-wind days.
Air Quality and Smoke Forecasts
Is it safe to go for a run at the Duck Pond or hit the trails at Vail Lake today?
Kinda.
The air quality in Temecula is currently hovering in the "Moderate" range. You won't see the thick, orange haze that comes with a local brush fire, but there is enough regional particulate matter (PM2.5) to bother folks with asthma. According to the South Coast AQMD, there are no active smoke advisories specifically for the Temecula or Murrieta area today.
Expert Insight: Even if you don't see a plume, windblown ash from previous burn scars can still irritate your lungs. If you can smell it, your body is telling you to stay indoors.
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Why Temecula Stays Vulnerable in January
Most people think "fire season" ends when the calendar hits November.
Inland Empire residents know better.
We are currently in a period where we're waiting for that big, soaking winter rain to really "green up" the hills. Until that happens, the standing dead vegetation from last summer is basically kindling. 2-word sentences? It's dry. Very dry.
Cal Fire has recently updated the Fire Hazard Severity Zones (FHSZ) for our area. If you live in the southern end of town near Great Oak or out in the De Luz hills, you are likely in a "Very High" risk zone. This isn't meant to scare you—it's meant to remind you that defensible space isn't just a spring chore.
What You Should Do Right Now
Since things are quiet, today is actually the best time to prep.
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- Check your "Go Bag": If you had to leave in 15 minutes because a fire jumped the 15 Freeway, do you have your papers?
- Verify your Evacuation Zone: Riverside County uses specific zone names (like TEM-123). Do you know yours? You can find it on the RivCoReady website.
- Sign up for Alerts: Don't rely on Twitter or Facebook. Register for "Alert RivCo" to get a direct call or text if your specific neighborhood is under threat.
I’ve lived through enough of these to know that the best way to handle the fear of fire is to have a plan that’s actually ready to go.
If you're seeing smoke that isn't accounted for, the best source of truth is the "Watch Duty" app or the official Cal Fire Riverside Twitter (X) feed. They are usually much faster than the local news stations at posting the initial "acreage and rate of spread" reports.
Keep your gas tanks at least half-full. It sounds like something your grandpa would say, but when the power goes out and the pumps stop working during an evacuation, you'll be glad you did.
Stay safe out there, Temecula.
Next Steps for Safety:
- Download the Watch Duty app for real-time wildfire tracking.
- Clear any dead leaves from your rain gutters this afternoon; it's a 20-minute job that could save your roof.
- Visit the Riverside County Fire Department website to check the live incident feed for any new starts in the next hour.