14 Photos Show Impact Of Jim Fire In Cleveland National Forest

CORONA, CA — A plume of smoke billowed into the sky Wednesday afternoon as the Jim Fire ballooned to 400 acres in the Cleveland National Forest.

The blaze ignited around 11:20 a.m. on the Holy Jim trail, firefighters said. It was zero percent contained as of 2:45 p.m. and was burning through chaparral at a "moderate rate of spread," a spokesman for the national forest told Patch.

Firefighters across Orange County were monitoring the blaze, but remained cautiously optimistic that it didn't threaten major population centers.

"We do realize throughout #OC you an see the large smoke column," the Orange County Fire Authority tweeted. "The fire is still not a threat to any citizens or neighborhoods of Orange County."

Smoke was visible in Lake Elsinore, Rancho Margarita and out in Redlands. Photos showed the blaze threatened radio and cell towers on Santiago Peak.

The cause of the blaze wasn't immediately known.

Chris Roberts snapped a photo of the blaze from his driveway in Lake Elsinore. He told Patch on Wednesday his first reaction was: "Here we go again," noting he lived in the area during the 2018 Holy Jim fire. In that fire, more than 23,000 acres burned.

Below is a roundup of photos of the Jim Fire from around Orange County.