Fire crews are battling a wildfire that broke out on Monday in Anza near the junction of Highways 74 and 371.
The fire began as a motor home fire but spread to vegetation nearby.
This photo of the motor home was posted to our Facebook page by Vinny Montenegro:
And this was the motor home a short time later:
I think ive found the cause right off of hwy 74 #AnzaFire pic.twitter.com/2bcJZ4eNBd
— jay calderon (@jaymcalderon) August 10, 2015
Fire crews believe that the fire has the potential to expand to 1,000 acres within the next few hours, reports Palm Desert Patch.
Happening now: CAL FIRE/Riverside County fire at the #AnzaFire in Mountain Center. pic.twitter.com/XJ1ykWT5Di
— Sherman Fire Images (@fireimages) August 10, 2015
#AnzaFire viewed from Garner Valley pic.twitter.com/6Nvpg0LCcb
— San Bernardino NF (@SanBernardinoNF) August 10, 2015
Just got to the #AnzaFire pic.twitter.com/8CzlFmblPE
— jay calderon (@jaymcalderon) August 10, 2015
Fire crews are fighting the blaze on the ground and in the air with air tankers and water-dropping helicopters.
>><< New Wildfire >><< Anza Fire @CALFIRERRU in Unified Command w/ @SanBernardinoNF #AnzaFire
— USFS Fire-California (@R5_Fire_News) August 10, 2015
The California Highway Patrol began evacuating homes on the Santa Rosa reservation, just west of the blaze at 1:40 p.m., reports The Desert Sun.
Highway 74 has been shutdown from the Palm Desert side at Highway 371 with only residents of the area allowed access. There is no estimated time for reopening:
SR-74 All EB/WB lanes closed at SR-371, Anza, due to a brush fire. No ETO
— Caltrans District 8 (@Caltrans8) August 10, 2015