UPDATED: Evacuations Ordered for Anza Fire; Brusher Burned 500 Acres

UPDATED at 7 p.m.

A brush fire that broke out Monday near the junction of two state highways in east Anza injured a motorist and scorched more than 500 acres, prompting road closures and evacuations and sending three firefighters to a hospital with minor injuries.

The “Anza Fire” was reported about 11:45 a.m. near state Routes 74 and 371, on the outskirts of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. By late afternoon, the fire was 10 percent contained.

Officials initially stated that the blaze was ignited by a mobile home fire, but it was later confirmed that a car fire on Highway 74 sparked the brusher, which quickly spread to surrounding vegetation, burning into the San Bernardino National Forest.

The vehicle was consumed by the flames, and the driver was transported to a hospital for treatment of second- and third-degree burns covering roughly 3 percent of his body, according to the fire department.

Evacuations were ordered for residents with homes just east of the Paradise Valley Cafe, at the 74 and Paradise Drive. The number of homes impacted could not be confirmed.

A campsite containing at least eight structures was under threat from the fire, though an on-scene battalion chief did not believe the location was in imminent peril as of 3:30 p.m., according to reports from the scene. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the grounds were occupied.

The blaze had the potential to spread to 1,000 acres by nightfall at the current rate of spread, officials said.

Fire officials said three firefighters suffered minor injuries during the firefight and were hospitalized.

Caltrans District 8 said both east- and westbound lanes of the 74 were shut down in the area. Traffic attempting to go west on the 74 was being stopped and turned around in Palm Desert, according to Caltrans.

Seven air tankers and five water-dropping helicopters were doing the bulk of the firefighting because of rugged, inaccessible terrain. The helicopters were using Lake Hemet as a water resource.

Forty-six engine companies, eight water tenders and five hand crews from the county and U.S. Forest Service were attempting to establish containment lines. The total personnel count as of 3:30 p.m. was 353.

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UPDATED at 4:16 p.m.

A brush fire that broke out Monday near the junction of two state highways in east Anza injured a motorist and scorched more than 300 acres, prompting road closures and evacuations.

The “Anza Fire” was reported about 11:45 a.m. near state Routes 74 and 371, on the outskirts of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. By mid-afternoon, the fire was 10 percent contained.

Officials initially stated that the blaze was ignited by a mobile home fire, but it was later confirmed that a car fire on Highway 74 sparked the brusher, which quickly spread to surrounding vegetation, burning into the San Bernardino National Forest.

The vehicle was consumed by the flames, and the driver was transported to a hospital for treatment of second- and third-degree burns covering roughly 3 percent of his body, according to the fire department.

Evacuations were ordered for residents with homes just east of the Paradise Valley Cafe, at the 74 and Paradise Drive. The number of homes impacted could not be confirmed.

A campsite containing at least eight structures was under threat from the fire, though an on-scene battalion chief did not believe the location was in imminent peril as of 3:30 p.m., according to reports from the scene. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the grounds were occupied.

The blaze had the potential to spread to 1,000 acres by nightfall at the current rate of spread, he said.

Caltrans District 8 said both east- and westbound lanes of the 74 were shut down in the area. Traffic attempting to go west on the 74 was being stopped and turned around in Palm Desert, according to Caltrans.

Seven air tankers and five water-dropping helicopters were doing the bulk of the firefighting because of rugged, inaccessible terrain. The helicopters were using Lake Hemet as a water resource.

Forty-six engine companies, eight water tenders and five hand crews from the county and U.S. Forest Service were attempting to establish containment lines. The total personnel count as of 3:30 p.m. was 353.

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UPDATED at 2:40 p.m.

A brush fire that broke out Monday near the junction of two state highways in east Anza injured a motorist and scorched more than 100 acres, prompting road closures as the flames expanded into the San Bernardino National Forest, threatening a campground.

The “Anza Fire” was reported about 11:45 a.m. near state Routes 74 and 371, on the outskirts of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

An agency spokeswoman told City News Service the fire began in a mobile home and spread to surrounding vegetation.

A motorist on Highway 74 was injured when his car caught fire. The vehicle was consumed by the flames, and the victim was transported to a hospital for treatment of second- and third-degree burns covering roughly 3 percent of his body, according to the fire department.

A campsite containing at least eight structures was under threat from the fire, though an on-scene battalion chief did not believe the location was in imminent peril as of 2:30 p.m., according to reports from the scene. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the grounds were occupied.

The blaze had the potential to spread to 1,000 acres by nightfall at the current rate of spread, he said.

Caltrans District 8 said both east- and westbound lanes of the 74 were shut down in the area as a result of the fire.

According to the fire department, seven air tankers and five water-dropping helicopters were doing the bulk of the firefighting because of rugged, inaccessible terrain. The helicopters were using Lake Hemet as a water resource.

Twenty engine companies, three water tenders and five hand crews from the county and U.S. Forest Service were attempting to establish containment lines. The total personnel count as of 2 p.m. was 260.

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UPDATED at 1:36 p.m.

A brush fire broke out Monday near the junction of two state highways in east Anza, quickly scorching 50 acres as the flames expanded into the San Bernardino National Forest.

The non-injury blaze was reported about 11:45 a.m. near state Routes 74 and 371, on the outskirts of the Santa Rosa Indian Reservation, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. No homes or other structures were immediately threatened.

The California Highway Patrol has closed Highway 74 at Vista Point in Palm Desert. Only residents are allowed beyond that point.

An agency spokeswoman told City News Service that the fire began behind a mobile home and spread to surrounding vegetation.

According to reports from the scene, seven air tankers and two water-dropping helicopters were doing the bulk of the firefighting because of rugged, inaccessible terrain. The helicopters were using Lake Hemet as a water resource.

An on-scene battalion chief reported that the blaze had the potential to spread to 1,000 acres over the next several hours at the current rate of spread.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

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Riverside County and U.S. Forest Service fire crews are battling a 25-acre brush fire in east Anza, near the junction of Highways 74 and 371.

Multiple air tankers and water-dropping helicopters have been called to the location.

The on-scene battalion chief just reported that the blaze has the potential to expand to 1,000 acres within the next several hours.

--City News Service, photos courtesy of Heather Magula/Cal Fire Riverside and Ed Sherman/Cal Fire Riverside, Shane Reichardt.