A brush fire that charred 214 acres in an unincorporated area near Beaumont continued to burn overnight but did not spread and was 80 percent contained Sunday morning.
The non-injury fire ignited at about 11:30 a.m. Saturday near the intersection of Lamb Canyon Road and California Avenue, in the Badlands southeast of Beaumont.
The sparsely populated area is marked by rugged, hilly terrain that is difficult to access, except by dirt roads.
Firefighters responded with an aggressive air and ground attack on the flames, which were initially burning “at a moderate to dangerous rate of spread” in highly combustible brush, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The fire exploded from 20 to 214 acres in a matter of hours, but firefighters took advantage of the surrounding roads that helped confine the flames, which are now nearly choked off by containment lines.
About 180 county firefighters battled the blaze at its height, assisted by three Cal Fire water-dropping helicopter and four air tankers.
No structures were threatened.
Last week, a fire ravaged 525 acres about five miles west of this fire, near Gilman Springs Road and Jerry Street, prompting the evacuation of numerous homes.