Firefighters are battling a brush fire in 90-degree heat Saturday afternoon in Riverside County.
The fire was reported just before 12:30 p.m. near Gilman Spring Road and Alessandro Boulevard in Moreno Valley. The fire burning in light vegetation grew to about 250 acres in an area with limited access.
Containment was at 5 percent early Saturday afternoon.
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No structures were immediately threatened by flames. Water-dropping air tankers and helicopters are at the scene.
"The fire is currently 150 acres and continues to burn with a rapid rate of spread," the Riverside County Fire Department said in a 1 p.m. update.
So far this year, wildfires have burned more than 118,000 acres in California. By late June last year, that figure was at 7,100 acres, according to Cal Fire stats.
Parts of Riverside County are facing triple-digit temperatures this weekend and an excessive heat watch. Warm conditions will continue into next week.
The heat watch will be effective from 10 a.m. Sunday to at least 8 p.m. Friday in the areas of Palm Springs, Coachella, Palm Desert, Palm Desert Country, La Quinta, Cathedral City and Indio. Temperatures in these areas were expected to range from 110 to 118.
Highs in the mid-90s were forecast for Moreno Valley on Saturday with light winds.
