Mias Fire: Bizarre Cause Of Banning Blaze Determined, Size At 540 Acres [UPDATED]

TUESDAY UPDATE HERE — >
Mias Fire Day 2: Hundreds Fighting Banning Blaze Sparked (Indirectly) By Bees
"It really was just one of those, what we like to call, 'freak accidents,' that something of that nature would happen."

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MONDAY UPDATE 9:15 p.m.: A large wildfire burning in the Banning Pass was indirectly sparked by bees. According to the Riverside County Fire Department, the fire was sparked when a tree branch fell onto power lines; but that tree only fell because of a bee hive.

"The cause of the fire has been determined to be a tree branch that fell into powerlines," fire officials said Monday night. "The tree had been weakened by an active beehive inside of the tree."

The fire broke out around 3:45 p.m. Monday on the northeast edge of Banning and blackened roughly 600 acres as it burned toward the Morongo Indian Reservation.

The flames were not immediately threatening homes or other structures, but were feeding on medium to heavy vegetation in the rural area, according to the fire department.

As of Monday night, the size was holding at 600 acres and containment was still only 5 percent. Crews were expected to remain assigned to the fire throughout the night, and a fire camp has been set up at Noble Creek Park in Beaumont.

The next update in the fire is not expected until Tuesday morning.

UPDATE 7:30 p.m.: The Mias Fire near Banning is now approximately 600 acres in size. Containment is just 5 percent as 278 firefighters battle the growing flames.

UPDATE 6:15 p.m.: As The Mias Fire near Banning continues to burn in the Banning area Monday evening, fire officials report that it's grown to approximately 350 acres in size. There is zero percent containment at this time.

Photos from the #MiasFire courtesy of Volunteer Reserve Photographer Mike Murawski. #CALFIREservingCA pic.twitter.com/Qi5TbeIav8
— CAL FIRE Riverside (@CALFIRERRU) August 15, 2017

There are now 255 firefighters assigned to the blaze, along with 3 helicopters, 7 air tankers, 5 water tenders and 3 bulldozers.

The cause of the fire is not currently known.

UPDATE 4:59 p.m.: Fire officials say a brush fire burning in the Mias Canyon area of Banning has ballooned to 50 acres in size.

"The fire is now 50 acres burning into medium to heavy brush," fire officials say. "Additional ground and air resources have been started to the incident."

There are now 185 firefighters assigned to the blaze.

ORIGINAL STORY AS FOLLOWS:

BANNING, CA — A brush fire is burning in Banning this afternoon, sending a large smoke plume through the area. Fire officials say the blaze was reported at 3:45 p.m. in the 10000 block of Mias Canyon Road, which is near the Banning Bench.

"Firefighters are on scene of a vegetation fire approximately ten acres in size," April Newman with the Riverside County Fire Department said.

So far, 97 firefighters have been assigned to the blaze. A helicopter, 2 air tankers, 2 bulldozers and 2 water tenders are also devoted to the so-called "Mias Incident."

The Riverside County Fire Department is being assisted by personnel from: California Highway Patrol (CHP), Morongo Fire Department, Riverside County Fire Department, Southern California Edison, USFS – San Bernardino.

This is a breaking news story. Refresh for the latest.

SEE ALSO:

• Banning Man Dies In Motorcycle Wreck On I-10, ID'd By Coroner
• Fire Off Nuevo Road Burns Perilously Close To Home, Horses [PHOTOS]
• Calimesa Murder Reported, Alleged Shooter ID'd

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MAIN PHOTO CREDIT: Morongo Fire Chief Kevin Gaines / PHOTO CREDIT OF HELICOPTER: CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department / VIDEO CREDIT: ‎Kimberly Cartmell-Ybarra