Merwin Fire 95 Percent Contained

By City News Service

An eastern Moreno Valley brush fire that burned 150 acres was 95 percent contained Saturday morning, a fire official said.

The “Merwin Fire” has not consumed additional acreage since Wednesday night, said the Riverside County Fire Department’s Jody Hagemann. Firefighters have made progress in digging a brush-free zone around the blaze.

More than 200 firefighters were working to encircle the blaze, which started at 8:40 p.m. Wednesday in the lightly populated area about two miles south of state Route 60, near the intersection of Campbell Avenue and Merwin Street.

Two firefighters suffered minor injuries. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, Hagemann said.