Brush Fire Burns 255+ Acres In Riverside County
RIVERSIDE (CBS) — A brush fire has burned about 256 acres in Riverside County, according to officials.
The fire was reported at 3:38 p.m. Sunday.
As of 5:35 p.m. Sunday, officials said the fire was about 20 percent contained. By 7:50 p.m. the fire was reportedly 40 percent contained. Full containment is expected by midnight.
Firefighters are also hopeful they will have the fire controlled by Monday at 6 p.m.
The blaze is located in the area of Lakepointe and west of Lake Mathews, near La Sierra Drive.
According to officials, about 130 firefighters are battling the vegetation fire.
No homes are threatened.
No evacuations have been ordered. No injuries have been reported.
Edward Lawrence, reporting for CBS2 and KCAL9, spoke to neighbors who turned hoses on the fire until firefighters arrived.
Cal Fire Division Chief Tony Mecham told Lawrence firefighters battled the blaze aggressively. "We were able to get air tankers in here and they proved critical."
Ground crews choked off the fire using a back burn.
While the fire came relatively close to homes, firefighters were confident no structures would be consumed.
That came as a major relief to residents like Lyle McCullum. "I thought the problem was on the other side. And we saw it coming across the hill. It was kinda scary there for a while. And very smokey."
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
