The Bluff Fire was first reported around noon and, as of 2:30 p.m., had charred an estimated 40 acres of “light, flashy fuels,” according to CAL FIRE.

Several aircraft assisted ground firefighting crews from Riverside County and the San Bernardino National Forest. Afternoon high temperatures in the region soared into the upper 90s amid a prolonged heat wave that has gripped California for over a week.

At about 2:40 p.m., CAL FIRE said the fire was 20% contained at 50 acres, and crews had stopped its forward progress.

The evacuation warning included the Banning bench area north of Sunnyslope Cemetery, west of Hathaway Canyon Road and east of Bluff Street (map). An evacuation center was established at Banning Senior Center at 769 N. San Gorgonio Ave.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Banning is 85 miles east of Los Angeles in the San Gorgonio Pass.

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