60-Acre Wildfire Out Near Corona

One the eve of fire season, Orange County firefighters joined their Riverside County counterparts Tuesday to put down a 60-acre blaze in the hills above Corona, fire officials said.

Using bulldozers and helicopters, firefighters worked more than eight hours to contain the brush fire that began just after 10:30 a.m. and blackened hillsides near the junction of the Riverside Freeway and Green River Drive.

Firefighters were expected to stay on the scene through this morning to ensure the wildfire doesn’t spread, said Joanne Evans, spokeswoman for the Riverside County Fire Department.

The blaze surged from 15 acres to 60 acres in the early afternoon as midday heat and winds stoked the fire, Evans said. A 620-acre wildfire that raged Tuesday in the Moreno Valley area stretched the resources of Riverside firefighters, she added.

“We have been mighty busy today,” Evans said. “Our fire season started last week and things are already hopping.”

Fire season starts today in Orange County, about a month earlier than usual, fire officials said. The season’s arrival closes down 178,000 acres of the county’s wild lands, primarily in the canyon areas and rugged terrain along the county’s eastern borders. Among the affected areas are portions of Chino Hills State Park and Ronald W. Caspers Wilderness Park.

The areas are marked with signs, and specific advisories are available by calling Orange County Fire Authority’s education office at (714) 744-0496.