Crews stop brush fire’s forward progress in Riverside County, remain on scene for containment

Crews fighting a brush fire burning south of Anza in Riverside County have stopped the blaze’s forward progress, officials said Tuesday night.

The Rock fire started at 1:38 p.m. near Gulley View Drive and Rock Canyon Road, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department.

When firefighters arrived, the blaze had blackened two or three acres and was “burning at a slow to moderate rate of spread,” fire officials said.

It soon grew to about 10 acres and by shortly after 4 p.m. was at least 50 acres, fire officials said.

The fire’s progress prompted officials to issue evacuation orders and warnings by late afternoon. So far, no injuries nor burned structures have been reported by fire officials.

Shortly after 6 p.m., officials reported the Rock fire’s forward progress had been stopped at about 250 acres.

Crews are expected to remain overnight to ensure the fire was contained and mopped up, officials said.