(This story was updated with new information.)
A brush fire burning Monday, June 22, near Interstate 10 in Calimesa had burned about 89 acres by early afternoon and disrupted freeway traffic. But firefighters kept it away from nearby structures as they established tentative containment lines within an hour of the blaze starting.
The Cherry Fire was reported at 3:52 a.m. along westbound I-10 in the 36-000 block of Cherry Valley Boulevard, according to Cal Fire’s Riverside Unit. As of about 1 p.m., it was 0% contained. The cause of the fire was under investigation.
The fire initially was estimated at 4 to 6 acres and was burning at a moderate rate through vegetation. The California Highway Patrol reported the fire near westbound Interstate 10, between Cherry Valley Boulevard and Brookside Avenue. Traffic delays were reported as crews worked near the freeway.
Multiple ground crews and aircraft were assigned to the blaze. Firefighters worked to keep the flames from reaching the freeway and nearby commercial structures to the east and north, according to reports from the scene.
Cal Fire said 115 personnel, 17 engines, four crews, three water tenders, two dozers, a helicopter and six other resources were assigned to the Cherry Fire. Numerous air tankers from across the state were flying suppression missions as conditions allowed.
Cherry Fire evacuations
No evacuation orders or warnings have been declared.
Cherry Fire road closures
CHP officers initially shut down two westbound lanes for public safety before reducing the closure to the right lane and shoulder near Cherry Valley Boulevard, which is Exit 90.
Westbound traffic was backed up to Highway 60 at Exit 93, as of about 1:28 p.m., with stop-and-go congestion and delays of up to 20 minutes, according to SigAlert, a traffic monitoring service.
City News Service contributed to this report.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Cherry Fire near I-10 in Calimesa disrupts traffic
Reporting by Jennifer Cortez, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jennifer Cortez, Palm Springs Desert Sun | USA TODAY Network
