Firefighters are batting a brush fire Friday that erupted on the edge of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation south of Aguanga, consumed 225 acres and prompted new evacuation warnings.
The Riverside County Fire Department issued evacuation warnings just after midnight for areas south of Tulle Peak, south of Ramsey, west of Terwilliger, east of and north of Forestry Boundary.
The non-injury Bonny Fire was reported about 2:50 p.m. Thursday in the area of Bonny and Barber lanes, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The fire was 5% contained, the department reported at 7:10 p.m Thursday.
Multiple engine and hand crews from Riverside County, the U.S. Forest Service and other agencies were sent to the remote location and encountered flames moving at a moderate rate through medium vegetation, with scattered houses and outbuildings in the path of the fire, a Riverside County Fire Department official said.
Six Cal Fire air tankers and three water-dropping helicopters made a series of runs on the blaze that closed off the left flank and mitigated the threat to most of the structures, according to the department.
The head of the fire jumped a road amid light winds and moved into hills, creating challenges for ground personnel, according to reports from the scene.
Personnel were also contending with spot fires popping up outside the main conflagration, relying on air support to help knock them down.
An evacuation order was issued for south of Bailey Lane, west of Chapman Road, north of Running Springs Road and east of Bonny Lane at around 7:45 p.m. Thursday. An evacuation warning was issued for the area south of Tulle Peak, south of Ramsey, west of Terwilliger, east of and north of Forestry Boundary.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
A reception and care center has been established at Hamilton High School.