A brush fire that broke out earlier this week south of Highway 371 in Anza was fully contained Friday at 188 acres.

The non-injury blaze erupted at 12:25 p.m. Tuesday near the Cahuilla Casino Hotel at Highway 371 and Homestead Road, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.

As of 11:15 a.m. Friday, the agency declared the brusher completely encircled, with no active fire posing a threat to properties.

At the peak of the blaze, several hundred firefighters from the county and surrounding agencies were battling it. Amid light to moderate winds, the flames initially moved at a rapid rate to the southeast.

A total of five Cal Fire air tankers and four water-dropping helicopters made a series of runs on the brusher Tuesday afternoon.

An evacuation order was issued in the area then lifted hours later. It was not immediately clear how many people actually evacuated.

The aircraft operations prevented the flames from reaching scattered properties that were briefly

threatened. Three hours later, the fire’s forward rate of spread had been stopped, and most of the aircraft cleared the location.

The cause of the blaze was under investigation. The area has been plagued by re-occurring summertime fires for years.

2025 has already seen an unprecedented start to the year with January’s Eaton and Palisades fires in Los Angeles. These fires rank as the second and third most destructive in California’s history, underpinning the importance of acting now to prepare one’s family, property, and community for wildfire.

“Prepare your home and property! Start at the house and work your way out.” Millions of Californians will soon see that message as the state launches a new wildfire preparedness campaign to support preparation efforts for fire season.

This year’s campaign emphasizes two essential strategies in wildfire preparedness: home hardening and defensible space. Creating a five foot buffer zone of defensible space, known as Zone 0, and taking steps to harden