This post was updated at 8:54 p.m.
A fast-moving wildfire stoked by 90-degree weather leaped State Route 60 in the Moreno Valley area, briefly trapping 50 motorists and burning about 450 acres.
The fire was just 35% contained, but no homes were in its immediate path, officials said. A stretch of the freeway between Jack Rabbit Trail and Gilman Springs Road was closed as nearly 200 firefighters battle the blaze with the help of air tankers and helicopters. The westbound lanes were later reopened, but the eastbound lanes were expected to remain closed for several hours tonight.
Riverside County Fire Department spokeswoman Cheri Patterson said the blaze, which began around 4 p.m., threatened motorists until California Highway Patrol officers and firefighters escorted them away from the flames.
“We had a life-threatening situation earlier with the motorists trapped, so we’re feeling pretty fortunate,” Patterson said. “It is burning in a pretty remote area and not toward any homes.”
She said the cause of the fire was under investigation. It is burning in unincorporated territory between Moreno Valley and Beaumont, in an area known as the San Timoteo Badlands.
“We’ve been fortunate to have a relatively mild fire season so far,” Patterson said. "This area is notorious for burning year after year.”
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