A brush fire that erupted Monday in the San Bernardino National Forest between Anza and Pinyon Pines charred roughly 30 acres, prompting closure of Highway 74, before Cal Fire aircraft slowed its advance.
The non-injury blaze was reported at 12:25 p.m. on the north side of the highway at Santa Rosa Truck Trail, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said multiple engine and hand crews from the county, U.S. Forest Service and Palm Springs Fire Department were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a rapid rate to the north through heavy vegetation.
No homes or other structures were in the immediate vicinity.
Three Cal Fire air tankers initiated runs on the brusher just before 1 p.m., slowing its progress. However, as a public safety precaution, county fire officials requested that the California Highway Patrol shut down both east- and westbound lanes of Highway 74 between the junction at Highway 371 in Anza to the west and the outskirts of Pinyon Pines to the east.
The flames were deep in tree lines, miles from the nearest community. Winds in the area were reportedly light and variable.
There was no word regarding how the brusher may have started.