Firefighters Sunday halted the forward progress of a 1,500-acre wildfire burning without containment south of Beaumont, though an evacuation warning was still in place for the Moreno Knolls area.
The blaze was reported at around 1 a.m. near the intersection of La Borde Canyon Road and Jack Rabbit Trail, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The fire exploded in size partly because it was burning in a hard-to-reach spot and windy conditions, fire officials said.
An evacuation warning was issued for homes north of Gilman Springs Road and south of Timothy Lane, including Jerry Street, McGehee Drive, Alberta Lane, Laurene Lane, Lisa Lane and Kevin Road.
The warning impacts fewer than a dozen homes, fire officials said.
Gilman Springs Road was closed between Alessandro Boulevard and Bridge Street.
Three water-dropping helicopters and four air tankers were assisting the 130 firefighters battling the blaze on the ground.
Officials in Anaheim, Fullerton and Brea reported that smoke from the fire was visible Sunday, with the Fullerton Police Department receiving “numerous 911 calls regarding the smell of smoke and ash in the Fullerton area.”
The officials stressed that there was no wildfire in Orange County.