UPDATE: Illegal Shooting Cause of San Timoteo Canyon Blaze South of Redlands

Update 9:11 p.m. Someone illegally firing weapons caused a fire that broke out south of Redlands and burned 100 acres, fire officials said Saturday night.

Update 6:49 p.m. A brush fire broke out Saturday afternoon in south San Timoteo Canyon south of Redlands, initially threatening a home with people inside, but swift attack by aircraft and ground crews saved the home and limited the burn area to about 100 acres, a battalion chief said at the scene.

Battalion Chief Silvio Lanzas, Battalion 9, Cal Fire-Moreno Valley, spoke with Redlands-Loma Linda Patch just before 5:30 p.m. May 25.

"We received the dispatch at 14:59 hours, almost right at three o'clock," Lanzas said. "We did have one imminent structure threat with people inside. We were able to get resources in here rapidly and protect the one  structure that was imminently threatened.

"At our point of arrival we started flanking the fire," Lanzas said. "It was burning at a moderate rate of spread in light to medium fuels in a northerly direction toward the city of Redlands.

"Our operations, both on the ground and with air resources were successful," Lanzas said. "We held the fire south of the city of Redlands, in Riverside County, with aggressive air and ground resources."

The fire did not burn over the crest of San Timoteo Canyon or approach San Timoteo Canyon Road, Lanzas said.

"We had a total of six aircraft, both fixed wing and helicopter," Lanzas said. "We were reloading them out of both Hemet Ryan air attack base and San Bernardino tanker base."

The people inside the home, on a dirt track called Smiley Boulevard, were asked to shelter in place. There were no injuries or property damage reported Lanzas said.

The fire was considered 50 percent contained as of 5:30 p.m. Full containment was hoped for by 10 p.m. Saturday. The cause of the fire, which appeared to start next to a dirt section of Reche Canyon Road, was being investigated.

Agencies that responded included Cal Fire-Riverside County, City of Riverside, Murrieta Fire, Redlands Fire, Pechanga Fire, Idyllwild Fire and Corona Fire. Oak Glen and Bautista inmate crews were brought in to assist.

Lanzas underscored the current fire season so far is unusual to typical early summers in Southern California.

"The fuel moisture in our vegetation right now is at very critically low levels," Lanzas said. "We see fire activity right now that we're not used to seeing this time of year. It is advanced for late May. Usually these type of burning conditions are more suited for October, September time."

Posted 5:52 p.m. A brush fire broke out Saturday afternoon in south San Timoteo Canyon, initially threatening a home with people inside, but swift attack by aircraft and ground crews saved the home and limited the burn area to about 100 acres, a battalion chief said at the scene.

The fire was reported just before 3 p.m. May 25 and it apparently began next a dirt section of Reche Canyon Road north of Moreno Valley in unincorporated Riverside County, the battalion chief said. Agencies that responded included Cal Fire-Moreno Valley crews and the Redlands Fire Department.

The fire was considered 50 percent contained as of 5:30 p.m. Full containment was hoped for by 10 p.m. Saturday. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire was being investigated.

Stay with Redlands-Loma Linda Patch for a detailed report and more photos.