MORENO VALLEY – (INT) – The Inland Empire’s largest wildfire of the season was stopped Friday about 4-and-a-half-hours after it started along Gilman Springs Road.

The fire was fully contained Sunday afternoon.

Sparks from a truck towing a trailer started the fire at four locations about a mile apart. Authorities say that a chain dragging along the pavement created the sparks that started the 525-acre blaze.

Calfire reported that 15 homes along the highway between Freeway 60 and Jack Rabbit Trail were evacuated. Flames set one outbuilding on fire destroying it.

Air tankers helped put down the blaze.

On Saturday morning, Calfire had ten fire units mopping up remains of Friday’s fire and asked that Gilman Springs Road remain closed. It was reopened at 3:15pm Saturday.

Plumes of smoke were visible from the Hemet-San Jacinto Valley and throughout Moreno Valley.

Near Banning, another fire of undetermined cause covered about 8-acres Friday on the Old Banning-Idyllwild Road and Mt Edna Road.

Story Date: June 26, 2019