Firefighters Gain Upper Hand On 2 RivCo Blazes, 1 Rages: See Photos

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Three brush fires were actively burning across Riverside County Friday, scorching hundreds of acres near Aguanga/Anza, Banning and the Idyllwild area near Mountain Center.

The Bonny Fire, burning between Anza and Aguanga, consumed 877 acres as of late Friday morning. The blaze was reduced to 5% containment as it jumped the fireline Friday afternoon, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department. Firefighters battled the non-injury blaze both on the ground and from the air. The fire was first reported about 2:50 p.m. Thursday in the 44000 block of Bonny Lane, according to the fire department. All evacuation orders and warnings remained in place late Friday morning. See a Cal Fire interactive map here that shows evacuation areas.

Read more about this fast-moving fire.

A second blaze, dubbed the Sunset Fire, broke out Thursday evening in Banning. As of Friday morning, forward progress was slowed on the blaze that charred 103 acres of brush. It has reached 90 percent containment, Cal Fire reported. All evacuations and road closures were lifted at 12 p.m. Friday. Smoke and flames were first sighted at 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Mesa and Gilman streets, according to Cal Fire.

The third blaze, known as the Wild Fire, broke out in the San Bernardino National Forest near Idyllwild Thursday afternoon. The blaze burned through almost five acres of heavy vegetation but did not threaten any properties, according to an SBNF spokesperson. The blaze was reported at about 3:15 p.m. Thursday in the area near Highway 243 and Saunders Meadow Road. It was 50 percent contained Friday morning. Officials expect full containment over the weekend.

@engineco16 #sunsetfire is looking good. Light burning ops going on at the base of the hill is what you are seeing as far as active fire. pic.twitter.com/iK7YiaYxnb
— FirePhotoGirl (@FirePhotoGirl) July 28, 2023

Dangerously hot weather conditions in Riverside County were predicted to remain through the weekend, prompting the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning for the Coachella Valley and parts of Riverside County into Saturday.

The excessive heat warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Saturday for Indio, Palm Springs, Cathedral City, Palm Desert, La Quinta, Coachella and Borrego Springs with temperatures expected between 113 and 116. In Temecula Valley, temperatures in the upper 90s to low 100s prompted a heat advisory through Saturday at 8 p.m.