Crews Battle Wildfire Threatening Homes In Anza

Cal Fire and Riverside County firefighters are battling a wildfire in the city of Anza that is spreading rapidly.

The fire was reported shortly after 1 p.m. near the intersection of Howard Road and Pony Trail.

At 1 p.m., fire crews estimated the size of the fire at 10 acres.

By 3 p.m., the fire had grown to 35 acres, and crews had it 50 percent contained.

They said it was burning in an area with heavy fuels for the fire to grow even more.

“There’s a lot of sage and chaparral and ranch homes up there,” said John Miller, a spokesman for the U.S. Forest Service, one of the agencies that responded to the blaze. “When we have fires, a lot of times it’s a threat to the homes.”

Riverside County Sheriff’s deputies have been called in to help evacuate 12 homes nearby. However, fire crews said they have stopped the fire’s spread toward the houses, sparing them.

Howard Road from Pony Trail to Old Ranch Road is closed to traffic to let firefighters battle the flames.