UPDATE: Blaze in Canyon North of MoVal Approaches 350 Acres in Size

MORENO VALLEY (CNS) – A brush fire that erupted Friday in a canyon north of Moreno Valley reached almost 340 acres and prompted precautionary evacuations before crews slowed it down.

The non-injury blaze was reported about 1 p.m. in the area of Reche Canyon Road and High Country Drive, near the boundary separating Riverside and San Bernardino counties, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county, Idyllwild Fire Protection District, Cal Fire-San Bernardino County and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a rapid rate through medium brush.

Outbuildings in the path of the brusher were reportedly damaged as the flames pushed to the east.

The area where the blaze started is lightly populated, with both single-family dwellings and mobile homes. However, the brusher was pointed in the direction of a larger community bordering the Badlands.

An evacuation order was issued impacting residences south of Reche Canyon, north of Alta Vista Drive, west of Locust Avenue and east of Reche Vista Drive. An evacuation warning was posted for a neighboring community.

Six Cal Fire air tankers and five water-dropping helicopters made runs on the blaze that succeeded in slowing its advance, enabling crews to start tightening up gaps, though as of 4:30 p.m., the forward rate of progress had not been stopped.

Despite that, some of the air assets were released and made available to cover other wildfires burning throughout the region.

California Highway Patrol officers were conducting traffic control in the area due to the large amount of public safety equipment, but the fire was not threatening Reche Canyon Road, which remained passable.

The cause of the brusher was not immediately known.

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