Brush Fire Burns Over 1,000 Acres Along Highway 371 in Aguanga

AGUANGA (CNS) - One of two brush fires that erupted less than a mile
apart in Aguanga grew to more than 1,000 acres this morning, prompting
evacuations, forcing a highway closure and destroying structures in a sparsely
populated area.
  

The non-injury blazes were reported at 12:35 p.m. Wednesday -- the
first in the area of Riverdale Drive and State Route 371, the second about
three-quarters of a mile south at Bradford Road and Gelding Way -- according to
the Riverside County Fire Department.
  

Overnight, the first blaze, dubbed the Dale Fire, grew to 1,071 acres
and was 10% contained, according to Cal Fire.
  

Earlier, the agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the
county and surrounding agencies were sent to the area and encountered flames
moving at a rapid rate at the larger brusher along Riverdale.
  

At least two structures, possibly vacant outbuildings, were consumed
by the flames, according to officials. The second fire at Bradford was slower
but also damaged two to three structures, burning about three acres before its
forward rate of spread was stopped shortly before 2 p.m. It was completely
contained less than an hour later.
  

On Wednesday afternoon, seven Cal Fire air tankers and three water-
dropping helicopters initiated runs on the larger blaze, dubbed the Dale Fire.
The flames continued progressing in the direction of Cahuilla Creek Motocross
and the Cahuilla Casino Hotel, both south of State Route 371, east of the
brusher.
  

Evacuation orders were implemented by sheriff's deputies for the race
track, remote properties southeast of the Lake Riverside Estates and elsewhere
on the south side of Highway 371. Other properties in and around the Cahuilla
Indian Reservation were under evacuation warnings as well.
  

The evacuation orders and warnings were in effect for the area north
of Tule Peak Road, west of Eagle Nest Court, South of State Route 371 and east
of Bradford Hills Road.
  

``Crews will be working through the night hitting hot spots as they
continue to bolster the containment lines,'' the agency said just after
midnight today.
  

A care and reception center was established at the Anza Community
Center, 56630 Highway 371. The Department of Animal Services was accepting
evacuated pets at the agency's San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, 581 S. Grand
Ave.
  

Wednesday's aircraft operations closed off the southern flank of the
main fire, which had grown to an estimated at 330 acres by 5 p.m. Wednesday.
  

Crews made a succession of drops in front of the brusher that slowed
its advance as it moved across largely open space south of the 371.
  

Firefighters had hoped to stop the fire's forward rate at the
intersection of Homestead and Tribal roads, less than a quarter mile west of
the casino, but the fire jumped the roads and turned northeast-bound, slowly
crossing open ground. No structures were threatened as of 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
  

Both sides of the highway were shut down for public safety between the
casino turnoff at Homestead to the east and Barbara Trail to the west,
spanning roughly seven miles.
  

Cal Fire said as of 6:30 a.m., State Route 371 was open in all directions.
  

The source of the fires was unknown. The area has been ground zero for
a cluster of minor and major wildfires going back three years.

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