Wildfire burns acreage near Highgrove

A brush fire broke out today near Highgrove, scorchingaround 10 acres of open land as fire crews attempted to get a line around it.

The wildfire was reported around 1:45 p.m. along Pigeon Pass Road, nearHighgrove Pass Road, roughly a mile south of the Riverside-San BernardinoCounty line.

Riverside County fire crews, with the support of city of Riverside andCal Fire personnel, were working to contain the blaze.

Eighteen engine crews and a dozen inmate hand crews — numbering closeto 250 firefighters — were contending with steep, rugged terrain, leaving itto six air tankers and four water-dropping helicopters to take care of most ofthe initial fire attack operations.

A fire battalion chief at the scene reported flames were moving slowly.However, he said crews were deploying for structure protection on the northside of the wildfire.

There was no immediate word on how it started.