A brush fire that erupted Monday alongside Interstate 10 in Calimesa charred roughly four acres and disrupted freeway traffic but was kept away from surrounding structures by crews, who established tentative containment lines within an hour of the blaze starting.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 10:50 a.m. Monday along westbound I-10, between Cherry Valley Boulevard and Brookside Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department and California Highway Patrol.
According to the fire department, multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through heavy brush within open space.
Firefighters established hose lays a short time later, preventing the brusher from reaching the freeway and commercial structures to the east and north, according to reports from the scene.
No evacuation orders or warnings were declared.
CHP officers initially shut down two westbound lanes for public safety but later modified the closure to only one lane and the shoulder, leaving three lanes available. However, traffic was clogged going back to Whitewater as a result of the fire activity and motorists slowing down to look.
Cherry Valley Boulevard was completely shut down between the freeway and Hannon Road to the east because of heavy smoke and fire equipment parked on the roadway.
Containment of the brusher was expected early Monday afternoon.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.