A wind-driven brush fire that erupted south of Highway 371 in Aguanga has scorched more than 3,700 acres and damaged structures, progressing rapidly Tuesday toward mountains along the boundary separating Riverside and San Diego counties with 0% of the flames contained.
The non-injury Nixon Fire was reported at 12:28 p.m. Monday in the area of Richard Nixon Boulevard and Tule Peak Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said numerous engine and hand crews — numbering over 250 personnel — from the county, Cal Fire-San Diego County, and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames burning at a “dangerous rate” to the southeast through medium brush.
Seven Cal Fire air tankers and four water-dropping helicopters began runs on the fire just before 1 p.m., initially slowing its advance before it accelerated again, according to reports from the scene.
There were reports from the scene of several structures damaged, but it was unclear whether those were only outbuildings or included homes.
Winds shifted due to the hilly terrain, complicating firefighting efforts. Ground crews were spread out, trying to establish structure protection lines.
Properties in the remote location are spaced acres apart.
Shortly after 4 p.m., the blaze spread into the 2,300-acre burn scar from the Bonny Fire that crews battled for over a week last July and August in Aguanga.
The fire grew to about 2,700 acres around 7:25 p.m., as firefighters continued efforts to stops its progress, according to Cal Fire officials.
With little fuel in the scar, the Nixon Fire lost momentum on one flank but continued to accelerate toward Iron Spring Mountain, lying on the boundary separating Riverside and San Diego counties.
The wilderness area is under the supervision of the U.S. Bureau of Land Management.
An evacuation order was implemented for the scattered homes south of Highway 371, north of the county line, west of Terwilliger Road, and east of Foolish Pleasure Road.
An evacuation center was established at Temecula Valley High School. Sheriff’s deputies closed multiple roads, most of them dirt and gravel, throughout the fire zone.
There was no immediate word regarding how the blaze started.
–City News Service
