Firefighters stop spread of Bluff Fire in Menifee after evacuations
A vegetation fire that started Thursday, July 9, in Menifee was halted at 31 acres and had been fully contained by Friday morning, July 10. Localized evacuations had been reported earlier near Bell Mountain in the Paloma Valley area, where at least one nearby structure was at risk as the fire burned through light brush.
The fire, dubbed Bluff Fire, was reported at 3:46 p.m. Thursday near Pacific Bluff Street and Brentworth Street, according to Cal Fire's Riverside County Unit. The fire was initially burning at a moderate rate of spread, but forward progress has stopped, the agency said.
Air resources, five additional engines and one additional air tanker have been requested, according to Watch Duty, a free app that offers real-time wildfire updates by drawing from firefighters' radio traffic and other sources.
By 4:43 p.m., Watch Duty reported that crews were making "good progress and fire activity had moderated."
It was the second wildfire to start Thursday in Riverside County, following the Domenigoni Fire near Diamond Valley Lake in Hemet.
The cause of the Bluff Fire was under investigation.
Cal Fire listed 50 personnel, 12 engines, one helicopter and four other resources assigned to the Bluff Fire, with assistance from Cal Fire San Bernardino, the Menifee Police Department and the Riverside County Emergency Management Department.
Bluff Fire evacuations
Localized evacuations were ordered for residents living near Highland Court and near Bell Mountain.
Residents can check Genasys Protect at protect.genasys.com or on its mobile app, which provides real-time emergency alerts.
Bluff Fire road closures
No road closures have been immediately reported.
Domenigoni, Volcano fires burn elsewhere in Riverside County
The Domenigoni Fire in Hemet had burned 62 acres and was 0% contained Thursday afternoon, according to Cal Fire. The fire was reported near Domenigoni Parkway and Searl Parkway, about a mile northeast of Diamond Valley Lake. No evacuation orders or warnings have been reported.
The Volcano Fire near Murrieta - which started Tuesday, July 7, remained active Thursday, with 144 acres burned and 60% containment, according to Cal Fire. By Thursday afternoon, the remaining evacuation order had been lifted, while Zone RVC-2146 stayed under an evacuation warning.
This is a developing story.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Firefighters stop spread of Bluff Fire in Menifee after evacuations
Reporting by Jennifer Cortez, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect
This story was originally published July 10, 2026 at 7:45 AM.