Firefighters on Sunday boosted the lines of cleared vegetation around a 2,206-acre brush fire south of Aguanga, near the San Diego County line, increasing the containment to 10%.
“Firefighters continued constructing handline around the fire perimeter, with no significant fire growth throughout the day,” the Riverside County Fire Department reported Sunday evening. “Extremely steep and rugged terrain and areas with limited fire history remains a challenge.”
The department warned, however, that scattered thunderstorms with gusty and erratic winds through the night could increase fire activity. The storms are expected to continue through Tuesday.
Firefighters planned to continue working to bolster fire lines, cooling hot spots and digging more containment line around the fire perimeter, officials said.
The Bonny Fire was reported at 2:50 p.m. Thursday near Bonny and Barber lanes, according to the fire department, in an area on the edge of the Cahuilla Indian Reservation.
Full containment isn’t expected until Aug. 7.
The force battling the flames included more than 2,050 firefighters from Riverside and cooperating agencies, officials said. Seven helicopters and “numerous” air tankers were working overhead.
The fire has threatened 786 structures and destroyed one outbuilding.
An evacuation order remained in effect for the area north of the San Diego County line, east of Bonny Lane, south of Bowers Road, Bailey Road and Ramsey Road and west of Anza Borrego State Park.
The South Coast Air Quality Management District had no smoke advisory for the area as of Sunday night, though the fire prompted one initially.
The cause of the fire was under investigation.
– City News Service
