A wildfire that broke out south of Beaumont, forcing the closure of a highway in the Hemet Valley area for several hours, was fully contained this afternoon.

The blaze was reported around 11:15 a.m. near state Route 79 and Gilman Springs Road, and quickly spread to 75 acres before Riverside County fire crews gained the upper hand, according to fire department spokeswoman Jody Hagemann.

No structures were threatened, and no injuries were reported, she said.

As a safety precaution, the California Highway Patrol shut down a portion of Highway 79, northbound and southbound, between California Street and Gilman Springs Road, Hagemann said.

By 2 p.m., the highway was reopened to traffic, according to the CHP.

Roughly 150 fire personnel, supported by a half-dozen fixed-wing and helicopter fire suppression aircraft, were deployed to battle the blaze. But by 1 p.m., the air support was no longer needed, Hagemann said.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

Be the first to share your opinion on this article!