Brush fire scorches dozen acres south of Highway 371 in Anza
UPDATE: From Cal Fire, “The fire remains 43 acres and is now 10% contained. One lane of Highway 371 will be opened, expect delays. The residents who were impacted by the localized evacuations may return to their homes. Please use caution when traveling through the area as firefighters are continuing to perform mop up and several fire engines are in the roadways. Firefighters will remain on scene for six-to-eight hours.”
ANZA (CNS) – A brush fire that erupted today south of Highway 371 in Anza charred roughly 12 acres and prompted a closure of the highway before the blaze was stopped.
The non-injury fire was reported at 10:07 a.m. Thursday in the area of Burnt Valley and Kirby roads, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine and hand crews were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate to the northwest — directly toward the 371.
Four Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters initiated runs on the brusher at 10:35 a.m.
The forward rate of spread was halted by 11:45 a.m., and crews had established hose lays around most of the brusher a short time later.
Full containment was expected by mid-afternoon Thursday.
No homes or other structures were threatened in the sparsely populated area.
However, the flames jumped the two-lane highway shortly before 11 a.m., prompting California Highway Patrol officers to shut down both sides of the corridor between Kirby and Terwilliger roads for public safety.
The fire that slopped over the 371 was quickly stopped in a dry wash adjacent to a solar farm, where several helicopters and bulldozer crews went to work on it.
The hard closure of the 371 was expected to be lifted early Thursday afternoon.
The cause of the fire was under investigation. The Anza Valley has been ground zero for unexplained wildfires every summer for the last decade.
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