Firefighters made progress Saturday battling a brush fire that burned at least 55 acres in a canyon northeast of Temecula.
The fire was reported just before 8:30 a.m. Saturday near Vail Lake Dam, north of Highway 79, where firefighters found flames burning at a moderate rate of spread, the Riverside County Fire Department reported.
By noon, the fire was 25% contained and burning deep in remote terrain. The remoteness of the fire was affecting access for engines, the department stated.
At 7 p.m., fire officials reported they had surrounded 95% of the fire with lines of cleared vegetation and planned to spend the night patrolling for hot spots within the perimeter.