Road Closures At San Timoteo Canyon Rd., Redlands Blvd., Due To Fire

CALIMESA, CA — A brush fire that broke out Tuesday alongside railroad tracks just west of Calimesa scorched roughly five acres before it was stopped.

The non-injury blaze was reported at 1:55 p.m. along San Timoteo Canyon Road, near Live Oak Canyon Road, on the north side of Union Pacific railroad tracks, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said that multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a slow rate through medium brush.

There were initial indications that a locomotive was in flames, but officials at the scene said that wasn't the case. Train traffic through the San Gorgonio Pass was not interrupted.

With assistance from two Cal Fire air tankers and a water-dropping helicopter, firefighters halted the brusher's forward rate of spread about 3 p.m.

The fire was near full containment less than an hour later.

Sheriff's deputies shut down San Timoteo Canyon going east and westbound at Redlands Boulevard for public safety.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.