A brush fire erupted in a canyon north of Moreno Valley, scorching 437 acres, destroying at least one home, and prompting precautionary evacuations before firefighters were able to slow its progress, authorities reported on Saturday.
Dubbed the Reche Fire, the blaze was first reported around 1 p.m. on Friday in the vicinity of Reche Canyon Road and High Country Drive, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
As of 5 a.m. on Saturday, containment of the fire reached 5%.
A multitude of engine and hand crews from the Riverside County Fire Department, Idyllwild Fire Protection District, Cal Fire-San Bernardino County, and various other agencies were dispatched to the scene. They encountered flames rapidly spreading through medium brush.
The area where the fire originated has a sparse population, consisting of single-family homes and mobile homes. However, the fire was heading towards a larger community bordering the Badlands.
An evacuation order was issued for residents south of Reche Canyon, north of Alta Vista Drive, west of Locust Avenue, and east of Reche Vista Drive.
The evacuation order was later downgraded to a warning at approximately 8:10 p.m. on Friday. An evacuation warning remains in place for a neighboring community.
During the peak of the fire, at least six Cal Fire air tankers and six water-dropping helicopters made repeated flights, successfully slowing the fire’s progress and allowing firefighters to reinforce containment lines.
To manage the significant presence of firefighting equipment, California Highway Patrol officers provided traffic control in the area. However, Reche Canyon Road itself was not under threat from the fire.
The cause of the fire remains unknown.
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