Firefighters achieve nearly complete containment of 8,200-acre Rabbit Fire 

Containment of the Rabbit Fire in Lakeview was at 95% Friday, the Riverside County Fire Department reported.

The update to the containment figure was announced at 7 a.m. Friday and was the first since 7 p.m. Thursday when it was increased from 85% to 90%.

Firefighters faced excessive heat and low relative humidity Friday, along with steep rugged terrain as they worked to strengthen containment lines and provide suppression repairs when necessary, according to the department.

Firefighters will continue to patrol overnight and extinguish interior fires within the burned area, a department official said.

Full containment was expected Sunday, two days later than previously expected, according to the department.

All evacuation warnings were lifted as of noon Wednesday.

The fire has burned 8,283 acres, a figure that has not changed since the Monday night when it was updated from 7,950 acres.

The fire broke out around 3:30 p.m. July 14 northeast of Gilman Springs Road and Jack Rabbit Trail. Officials said 152 structures were threatened, but no structures have been destroyed or damaged.

A total of 184 fire engines, 20 water tenders, seven helicopters  and 30 hand crews were involved in the firefighting effort, numbering 1,578 total personnel, according to Cal Fire Riverside. Additional air tankers were flying in from throughout the state.

One civilian was injured. There were no details on who was injured or how serious the injury was.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

The Rabbit Fire was the largest of four brush fires that broke out July 14 and 15 across Riverside County. The Reche and Highland fires were fully contained by Tuesday.

Containment of Gavilan Fire increases to 90%

For the county’s fourth large blaze, containment of the Gavilan Fire in the Gavilan Hills area near Perris was at 90% Friday, the Riverside County Fire Department reported.

The update to the containment figure was announced at 6:37 p.m. Thursday and was the first since 7:13 p.m. Wednesday when it increased from 70% to 75%.

The fire was reported around 3:30 p.m. Saturday near the intersection of Gavilan and Idaleona roads, according to the fire department. It has burned 338 acres.

All road closures have been lifted.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Brush fire scorches half-acre along Highway 74 in Homeland

A brush fire that erupted Thursday adjacent to Highway 74 in Homeland blackened roughly a half-acre before it was stopped.

The noninjury blaze was reported about 4:50 p.m. on the north side of the highway at Calvert Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

The agency said that multiple engine crews were sent to the location and encountered flames moving to the east at a moderate rate through medium brush.

Firefighters quickly encircled the blaze, stopping its forward rate of spread just after 5 p.m. and completely containing it a short time later, according to reports from the scene.

There was no word on what might have triggered the brusher.

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