A firefighting plane drops retardant Saturday on the Round fire east of Moreno Valley. (Photo by contributing photographer Marc Danielian/KNN)
Firefighters battled a rapidly spreading brush fire east of Moreno Valley that broke out shortly after noon on Saturday in hilly, tough-to-access terrain known as the Badlands.
The fire, south of the 60 Freeway, spread to 300 acres by about 4 p.m.
Authorities announced that the fire was 5% contained around 2 p.m., later increasing containment to 25% by 6:19 p.m.
Large plumes of black smoke could be seen for miles.
The so-called Round fire, which began near the intersection of Gilman Springs Road and Alessandro Boulevard, was burning in light, flashy fuels in an area with limited access, the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department reported on X, and additional engines were being requested.
There were no evacuation warnings in place, according to Cal Fire, and no homes threatened. No injuries related to the fire have been reported.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District, though, issued a smoke advisory relating to the Round fire on Saturday evening for areas including Beaumont, Banning, Perris, San Jacinto and Palm Springs.
The AQMD encouraged residents in the immediately affected areas to limit outdoor activities. The same goes for those who reside outside the bounds of the smoke advisory, but can smell smoke or see ash from a fire, the agency said.
“Our firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the blaze, which continues to burn with a moderate rate of spread,” Rob Roseen, a Cal Fire/Riverside information officer, said in a video announcement. “Steep terrain combined with extreme heat is making the firefight particularly challenging for our ground resources.”
More than 250 Cal Fire personnel, four helicopters, 30 fire engines, four dozers, five water tenders and others have been assigned to help contain the fire, according to Cal Fire’s website.
“As we approach the holiday weekend, we want to urge all residents to remain vigilant,” Roseen said. “Fireworks are illegal in Riverside County and with current fire weather conditions, the risk of starting a blaze and it spreading rapidly is very high.”
The fire is in the same area where the 900-acre Lisa fire burned earlier this month. During that fire, crews on the ground were having difficulty getting to the flames because of the remote, rugged terrain, Cal Fire said, so additional aircraft were dispatched. No homes were threatened.
This is a developing story. Please check back for more.
