Update: 9:11 am: The fire is now 20% contained.
#ManzanitaFire [UPDATE] (1 of 2) The fire remains at 5,000 acres and is 20% contained.
— CAL FIRE Riverside (@CALFIRERRU) June 27, 2017
#ManzanitaFire [UPDATE](2 of 2)Evacuation warnings are still in place for Highland Home Rd E to Hy 243 includes Poppet Flats & Silent Valley
— CAL FIRE Riverside (@CALFIRERRU) June 27, 2017
Authorities believe that the fire began as a result of a vehicle crash that may have been started with a flat tire.
#CHP says flat tire may have led to crash that caused #ManzanitaFire. Vehicle is a Lexus RX300 @MyDesert pic.twitter.com/wTOgF4oqSr
— Colin Atagi (@TDSColinAtagi) June 27, 2017
Update 5:45 am: The fire has now grown to 5,000 acres and is 10% contained.
#ManzanitaFire is now 5000 acres and 10% cont. Hwy 79 southbound lanes are re-opened & northbound is one lane.
— Beaumont Police Dept (@BeaumontCA_PD) June 27, 2017
Update 7:40pm: The fire has grown to over 1,200 acres.
View of #ManzanitaFire from command post pic.twitter.com/QBffIBNy8C
— Micah Escamilla (@MicahEscamilla) June 27, 2017
Another photo of our #ManzanitaFire. Photo credit: Ed Sherman @fireimages pic.twitter.com/bqK0ghlJTa
— CAL FIRE Riverside (@CALFIRERRU) June 27, 2017
Original Post: Fire crews are fighting a 125+ acre blaze near Beaumont.
Firefighters are battling a 125 acre fire at Hwy 79 N, Lambs Canyon south of Dump Road, south of Beaumont (Riverside County) #ManzanitaFire pic.twitter.com/2aU5paJ0tT
— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) June 26, 2017
#ManzanitaFire Update – The fire is now 125 acres.
— CAL FIRE Riverside (@CALFIRERRU) June 26, 2017
????#ManzanitaFire / RRU / Beamount, CA / Lambs Canyon x Highway 79 / 50+ Acres / Critical ROS / 6 Tankers & 3 Helos ordered. Updates to follow pic.twitter.com/FjofcVTEio
— SoCal Wildfire (@SoCalWildfire) June 26, 2017
The blaze, named the Manzanita Fire, has forced Highway 79 to be closed between the 10 Freeway and Gilman Springs Road, according to Caltrans.
RIVCO: NB/SB SR-79 closed from Gilman Springs Road to California Street due to brush fire. Unknown duration. #Caltrans8 pic.twitter.com/KFxoIiG3jn
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) June 26, 2017
Here is live video from CBS LA:
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
