Wildfire burns over 100 acres south of Highway 371 in Aguanga
City News Service
AGUANGA, Calif. (KESQ) – Fire crews worked through the night hitting hotspots and improving control lines to contain 85% of a brush fire south of Highway 371 in Aguanga that has scorched 126 acres and destroyed one structure.
The Crossing Fire was reported at 1:38 p.m. Tuesday in the area of Petes Crossing and Janell Drive, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county, Hemet Fire Department, Riverside Fire Department and surrounding agencies were sent to the location, encountering flames moving at a moderate rate in light brush.
One Hemet firefighter suffered heat exhaustion and was taken by ambulance to a regional trauma center for treatment. Temperatures in the Anza Valley Tuesday topped out in the low 90s.
One outbuilding in the fire’s path was destroyed, but no occupied properties were damaged or destroyed.
At the fire’s peak, five Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters were making runs on the brusher as it pushed eastward. An evacuation order was issued for the dozen or fewer properties near Dove Drive and Gold Creek Lane.
The aircraft fire retardant and water drops had largely cut off the fire’s prospective fuel, enabling ground crews to establish tentative containment lines, relying on dirt roads to fortify defensive space, according to officials at the scene.
The fire’s rate of spread was halted at 5:02 p.m. Tuesday.
Minutes later, all fixed-wing aircraft departed the location. Several helicopters remained for targeted drops on hot spots threatening to jump containment lines.
The flames were 40% contained by 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, and working through the night, fire crews were able to bring containment up to 85% by 8 a.m. Wednesday.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.