Brush fire east of Temecula stopped at 125 acres; no structures damaged

Smoke rises from a brush fire in the Aguanga area east of Temecula. (Shannon Starr/SWRNN)

A wildfire blackened more than 125 acres and briefly threatened some structures in the unincorporated area of Sage this afternoon before firefighters gained the upper hand.

The blaze, dubbed the Minto Fire, broke out about 3:30 p.m. near Sage Road and Minto Way in the area just southeast of Hemet, according to Jody Hagemann of the Riverside County Fire Department.

More than 130 firefighters, one helicopter and four air tankers contained the flames by 6 p.m., Hagemann said, but were expected to be on the scene through the night, according to Hagemann.

Initially, several structures were threatened as the flames crept up a slope at a moderate rate, she said.

Riverside County sheriff’s deputies were called to the area as a precaution in the event of evacuations, which did not occur, Sgt. Joe Borja said.

The cause was not immediately known.

UPDATE: 4:59 p.m.

The fire is now approximately 125 acres and forward spread of the fire has been stopped, fire officials reported.

Officials are estimating full containment of the fire within the hour, radio reports said.

UPDATE: 4:46 p.m.

Fire officials over radio reports are estimating the fire has grown to about 80 acres.

Precautionary evacuations have been canceled, reports said.

UPDATE: 4:27 p.m.

According to fire reports,  there are approximately six home threatened by the fire.

The Riverside Sheriff’s Department is assisting residents in the areas of Sage Road and Villegas Drive with precautionary evacuations, fire officials said.

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Original story:

Firefighters are on their way to a blaze in the Aguanga area east of Temecula and south of Hemet, according to police scanner traffic.

The fire has been reported in the area of Sage Road near Wilson Valley Road, only a few miles from the Riverside-San Diego county line. The area is a remote community located in the foothills about 15 miles south of Hemet off Highway 371.

Residents in the area are reporting a column of smoke and air tankers flying over the scene.