300-acre brush fire burning in Badlands near Moreno Valley now 25% contained – Press Enterprise

A firefighting plane dropped retardant Saturday on the Round Fire, east of Moreno Valley. (Photo by contributing photographer Marc Danielian/KNN)

Firefighters battled a rapidly spreading brush fire east of Moreno Valley that broke out shortly after noon Saturday in hilly, difficult-to-access terrain known as the Badlands.

The fire, south of Highway 60, had spread to 300 acres by 4 p.m.

Authorities announced the fire was 5 percent contained around 2 p.m., later increasing containment to 25 percent by 6:19 p.m.

Large plumes of black smoke were visible for miles.

The so-called Round Fire, which started near the intersection of Gilman Springs Road and Alessandro Boulevard, was burning light and flashy fuels in a restricted area, the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department reported on X, and additional engines were being requested.

According to Cal Fire, no evacuation warnings have been issued and no homes have been threatened. No injuries related to the fire have been reported.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District, however, issued a smoke advisory Saturday night for the Round Fire for areas including Beaumont, Banning, Perris, San Jacinto and Palm Springs.

The AQMD encouraged residents in immediately affected areas to limit outdoor activities. The same goes for those who live outside the smoke advisory boundaries but may smell smoke or see ash from a fire, the agency said.

“Our firefighters are working tirelessly to contain the fire, which continues to burn at a moderate rate of spread,” Cal Fire/Riverside Public Information Officer Rob Roseen said in a video announcement. “The steep terrain combined with extreme heat makes fighting the fire particularly challenging for our land resources.”

More than 250 Cal Fire personnel, four helicopters, 30 fire trucks, four bulldozers, five water tankers and others have been assigned to help contain the blaze, according to the Cal Fire website.

“As we approach the holiday weekend, we want to urge all residents to remain vigilant,” Roseen said. “Fireworks are illegal in Riverside County and, given current weather conditions, the risk of starting a fire and having it spread quickly is very high.”

The fire is in the same area as the Lisa fire, which burned 900 acres earlier this month. During that fire, ground crews had difficulty reaching the flames due to the rugged and isolated terrain, Cal Fire said, so additional planes were dispatched. No homes were threatened.

This is a developing story. Please come back for more.