A brush fire that erupted in the San Bernardino National Forest between Anza and Pinyon Pines was stalled Tuesday at 1,162 acres, enabling crews to gradually establish containment lines.
The non-injury fire was reported at 12:25 p.m. Monday on the north side of Highway 74 at Santa Rosa Truck Trail, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
Officials said Tuesday afternoon that, with little movement around the perimeter of the brusher during the overnight hours, firefighters had achieved 5% containment.
“They will be going direct to improve and extend current containment lines,” according to a fire department statement.
Cal Fire air tankers and helicopters made targeted drops in active spots Tuesday morning, but as of 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, the air crews had significantly reduced operations.
Night-flying choppers coordinated with ground personnel throughout the night Tuesday.
County officials said multiple engine and hand crews from Cal Fire, U.S. Forest Service, Palm Springs Fire Department and other agencies, numbering around 300 personnel, were sent to the location Monday and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate to the north through heavy vegetation.
California Highway Patrol officers shut down both sides of Highway 74 between the junction at Highway 371 in Anza to the west and the area around the Big Horn Golf Club, just south of Palm Desert, spanning almost 25 miles. The closure was predicted to continue until the end of the week.
Evacuation orders were issued for the area south of Alpine Village, while warnings were announced for neighboring communities bordering Pinyon Pines, on either side of the highway.
The orders and warnings remained in place as a precaution Tuesday afternoon.
A care and reception center was set up at the Anza Community Center, 56630 Highway 371. Evacuees were invited to drop their pets at either the Coachella Valley Animal Campus at 72-050 Pet Land Place in Thousand Palms, or the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, 581 S. Grand Ave.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.