A brush fire broke out in Moreno Valley in Riverside County on Saturday afternoon, sending flames spreading into hilly terrain and sending up black smoke.
The Round Fire had burned more than 200 acres as of Saturday afternoon and was one of about 10 fires across the state, according to Cal Fire. The largest fires are in Fresno County, where the Fresno June Lightning Complex Fire and Basin Fire each cover about 10,000 acres.
Officials say they are bracing for the possibility of more fire activity later this week as temperatures continue to climb inland across the state and red flag winds are possible in Northern California. Plus, the July 4th holiday and its accompanying fireworks are just around the corner.
A brush fire burned more than 200 acres on a hillside in Moreno Valley Saturday afternoon.
(Los Angeles Times)
Temperatures were already rising in Southern California on Saturday, with temperatures reaching 93 degrees in Riverside, 90 degrees in Van Nuys, 96 degrees in Lancaster and Palmdale, and 106 degrees in Palm Springs.
In Riverside County, firefighters launched an all-out attack on the Circle Fire in an attempt to extinguish the blaze before it spread. Air tankers, helicopters and more than 160 personnel battled the blaze, which ignited near the intersection of Gilman Springs Road and Allesandro Boulevard around 12:20 p.m. . No injuries were reported and no structures were threatened.
“We try to stop these things as quickly as possible,” said Cal Fire/Riverside spokesman Rob Risen.
As firefighters worked to stop the fire from spreading, truck driver Chris Lanier, who was on his way to Walmart with his wife and son, stopped and watched for a minute.
Lanier’s little boy, David, was excited to see a helicopter drop water on the fire. But even with the smell of scorched brush in the air, Lanier isn’t fazed by this particular fire.
“It’s not as bad as it looks,” he said.
