A wildfire broke out in Riverside County's Moreno Valley on Saturday afternoon, sending plumes of black smoke into the sky as flames raced through mountainous terrain.
The Round Fire, which had burned more than 200 acres as of Saturday afternoon, was one of about 10 fires burning across the state, according to CalFire. The largest fires occurred in Fresno County, where the Fresno June Lightening Complex Fire and the Basin Fire each covered approximately 10,000 acres.
Officials said they were prepared for the possibility of more fires breaking out during the week as temperatures continue to rise in inland areas of the state and warning wind conditions are possible in Northern California. Plus, the Fourth of July holiday (and the accompanying fireworks) is coming up.
A wildfire broke out on a hillside in Moreno Valley on Saturday afternoon, burning more than 200 acres.
(Jireh Deng / Los Angeles Times)
Temperatures were already rising across Southern California on Saturday, with Riverside at 93 degrees, Van Nuys at 90, Lancaster and Palmdale at 96 and Palm Springs at 106.
In Riverside County, firefighters launched an all-out attack on the Round Fire to try to stop it before it could grow. Air tankers, helicopters and more than 160 people attacked the fire, which started around 12:20 p.m. near the intersection of Gilman Springs Road and Allesandro Boulevard. No injuries were reported and no structures were threatened.
“We try to stop these things as quickly as we can,” said Rob Reesen, CalFire/Riverside spokesman.
As firefighters worked to stop the flames from spreading, Chris Lanier, a truck driver heading to a Walmart with his wife and son, stopped to watch for a minute.
Lanier's young son, David, was excited to see a helicopter dropping water on the fire. But even as the smell of charred brush filled the air, Lanier was unfazed by this particular fire.
“It's not as bad as it seems,” he said.
