A brush fire broke out Monday on the northeast edge of Banning and blackened roughly 600 acres as it burned toward the Morongo Indian Reservation.
The non-injury blaze was reported shortly before 4 p.m. in the 10000 block of Mias Canyon Road, near Bluff Street, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
As of about 7:30 p.m., the fire was 5 percent contained.
An agency spokeswoman said 24 engine crews and seven hand crews, numbering more than 250 personnel, deployed to the fire, aided by seven air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters.
The flames were not immediately threatening homes or other structures, but were feeding on medium to heavy vegetation in the rural area, according to the fire department.
Along with county firefighters, Morongo Fire Department and U.S. Forest Service crews were working to encircle the brusher.
There was no word on how it started.
–City News Service