A wildfire ripped through more than 1,200 acres in the Bogart Park area in nearby Cherry Valley, northeast of Banning and Beaumont Tuesday, burning an outbuilding and triggering the evacuation of roughly 700 residents, fire officials say. The blaze was 20 percent contained at 7:00 a.m. this morning. Cal Fire Capt. Scott Visyak said two people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries. Humans, possibly children, started the brushfire, according to arson investigators. The fire was reported at 12:25 p.m., the rapid spread of the blaze led to hundreds of evacuations. Most of what’s burning is private land, but some of the fire is in pockets of San Bernardino National Forest land. Unhealthy levels of smoke from the fire blew to the southeast into parts of the San Gorgonio Pass and Coachella Valley, prompting air quality officials to issue an advisory for the area. Depending on wind conditions Morongo Basin residents may smell and see smoke from the fire today. The fire’s rapid spread drew an aggressive attack by more than 400 firefighters, including a crew from Morongo Valley, along with 46 engine crews, 11 hand crews, nine air tankers, five water-dropping helicopters, four bulldozers and four water tenders.
