The slow-moving 5,222-acre brush fire burning in a federal preserve on the southern tip of Riverside County, along the boundary with San Diego County, is 57% contained, authorities said Sunday.
Full containment was expected by Wednesday, the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department announced.
`Through the night, firefighters continued to make good progress although challenged by rugged and remote terrain in the Beauty Mountain Wilderness area. Sunday crews will continue strengthening the containment lines while mopping up and patrolling the fire’s perimeter area,” agency officials said in a news statement.
The public was advised to use caution near the perimeter of the fire.
Officials previously confirmed the fire was triggered by a faulty electrical panel on private property.
“Cal Fire peace officers, after an origin and cause investigation, determined the cause of the Nixon Fire was electrical, caused by a privately owned electrical panel,” according to an agency statement released Friday.
The fire destroyed six structures, and prompted an evacuation order for the scattered homes south of Highway 371, north of the county line, west of Terwilliger Road and east of Foolish Pleasure Road.
No injuries were reported.
Bradford Road at Highway 371 remained closed as of Sunday morning.
At its peak, an estimated 1,783 structures were threatened. As of late Friday, the fire was no longer threatening any homes or other structures situated within the Beauty Mountain Wilderness, which is maintained by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
A temporary evacuation center was established at Hamilton High School, 57430 Mitchell Road in Anza, with staffers available to assist with animals.
People needing after-hours help with animal evacuations should call 951-358-7387.
The blaze erupted about 12:30 p.m. Monday in the area of Richard Nixon Boulevard and Tule Peak Road, according fire officials.
There were 967 people battling the blaze as of Sunday morning, including Riverside County fire crews, Cal Fire-San Diego County crews and BLM firefighters.