Updated: Wildfire rips through 2,000 acres near Beaumont

Update 10:14 p.m.: Riverside County Fire Department Fire Captain and spokesman Rick Griggs said: “At about 1:20 p.m., we received a report of a vegetation fire, just south of the city of Beaumont and Banning. About 2,000 acres have been consumed by fire. We’ve got resources coming in, and the fire is still growing. A number of resources are en route or are already here.”

(Daniel Lane/SWRNN)

Griggs said that roughly 300 firefighters, 24 fire engines, 16 hand crews, four helicopters, and five air tankers were among the resources on scene.

“At this point there are no structures threatened,” he said.

While Griggs said he could not speculate on when fire crews would achieve containment, he added: “We’re putting all of our resources into containing and extinguishing the fire.”

Griggs said the cause of the fire is under investigation.

Update:  As of 6:40 p.m., officials are reporting the fire has now scorched 2,000 acres.

Update: As of 5:25 p.m., the fire has grown to 1,100 acres.

Update: As of 3:50 p.m., the fire has managed to burn through 600 acres.

Smoke from the Beaumont fire visible from Temecula's wine country. (Kerri S. Mabee/SWRNN)

Original story: Large, dark plumes of smoke visible today from Menifee were the result of a wildfire burning near Potrero Road in the city of Beaumont.

The blaze, which started at approximately 1:20 p.m. this afternoon has already burned roughly 400 acres, according to Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Jody Hagemann.

No structures have been threatened and no evacuations have been ordered.

Agencies on scene include CalFire/Riverside, CalFire San Diego, and Riverside County Fire Department.

At this point the fire has not been contained.