Firefighters reached 75% containment Saturday of a brush fire that erupted on the north edge of Banning and consumed about 50 acres, burning into the San Bernardino National Forest before its progress was stopped.
The non-injury blaze was reported just before noon Friday in the area of Bluff Street and Mias Canyon Road, adjacent to the Banning Sportsman’s Club, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county, U.S. Forest Service, Morongo Indian Reservation, Corona Fire Department and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames moving to the east at a rapid rate.
Three Cal Fire air tankers and a water-dropping helicopter initiated runs on the brusher, slowing it down and enabling crews to begin establishing containment lines.
Shortly after 3 p.m., the fire’s forward rate of spread was stopped, and all air operations ceased.
An evacuation warning that was issued for the area north of Sunnyslope Cemetery, west of Hathaway Canyon Road and east of Bluff, as well as the around Banning Bench was lifted as of Friday evening.
The cause of the blaze was under investigation.