Crime & Safety

UPDATE: Anza Fire 60 Percent Contained

One double-wide mobile home was already lost to an Anza fire that had spread to 150 acres as of 5 p.m. Full containment was expected by 6 a.m. Saturday.

Last updated at 8:10 p.m. Friday

A fire in Anza—about 40 miles due east of Murrieta—that started in an outbuilding had spread to 150 acres by 5 p.m. Friday was not expected to be fully contained until 6 a.m. Saturday.

At least 240 firefighters were battling the blaze that was reported at 12:42 p.m. at Cary and Tripp Flats roads, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

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Six air tankers were deployed to the brush fire that was 60 percent contained as of 8:09 p.m. Friday. Full control was expected at 7 a.m. Sunday.

Dubbed the Cary Fire, crews were able to stop its forward rate of spread as of 4:11 p.m., according to Melody Hendrickson, county fire information officer. Prior to that, it had been moving at a moderate to rapid rate.

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Two structures—one unoccupied double-wide mobile home and a wooden storage shed—had already been completely destroyed, Hendrickson said.

County fire officials requested the closure of Cary Road at Cave Rock and at Bautista.

No evacuations or injuries were yet reported and the cause of the fire was under investigation, Hendrickson said.

Residents of the sparesly populated community such as 20-year-old Jose Rosas were doing their fair share to help crews battle the blaze.

Rosas was using a shovel to help dig a fire line.

"I was working and then just out of nowhere I see it," Rosas told Patch. "It started pretty close to my home [300 to 400 feet] so I was worried about my family so I came home...and here we are trying to help out.

"I would hate to see my community go down like this—I see every year homes being destroyed by wildfires."

Rosas expressed gratitude for the fire crews on hand, which included Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department, U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management.

The Riverside County Office of Emergency Services, Red Cross, California Highway Patrol and Riverside County Sheriff's Department were also giving assistance.

"What else can I say except to thank them," Rosas said.

Crews were optimistic they would gain the upper hand on the fire in time for the 6 a.m. estimate for full containment.

"We are cautiously optimistic; with 91-degree heat and low humidity we've kept it at low acreage," Battalion Chief Phil Rawlings of Cal Fire/Riverside County Department told Patch.

"If the weather permits and the wind and heat cool down enough we'll be pretty good," Rawlings said.

Although two structures had been lost, Rawlings said fire engines designed for structure protection were placed strategically. One structure had already been saved, he said.

County fire officials thanked the residents who pitched in by helping build a fire line.

"CAL FIRE/Riverside County Fire Department would like to thank the residents who created and maintained 100 feet of defensible space which aided fire suppression efforts," wrote Hendrickson in an update.

—Daniel Lane contributed to this report.


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