Chino Hills Fire Burns 860 Acres

A fire charred more than 860 acres in Chino Hills State Park and threatened homes in east Yorba Linda before it was fully contained Monday evening, authorities said.

Fire officials and Brea police briefly held two 15-year-old boys suspected of starting the fire with illegal fireworks.

The youths were part of a group of boys seen in the area, authorities said.

The two were released to their parents, fire officials said.

The blaze started about 5 p.m. Sunday near a steep ridge along Evening Breeze Drive, which is next to open land on Orange County’s eastern border, fire officials said. The flames moved quickly up the ridge and came within 20 yards of backyard fences.

Anxious neighbors spent Sunday afternoon wetting down lawns and shrubbery while eyeing the hillside, where 20-foot flames shot into the air.

Strong winds eventually pushed flames east into the state park in San Bernardino County.

There were no structures within the park. By Monday afternoon, the blaze was 70% contained, Orange County Fire Authority spokeswoman Lisa Oborny said.

Capt. Stephen Miller of the Fire Authority, said, “The winds were calmer today. We didn’t have intense heat either, and that helped.”

The fire is expected to be fully controlled by 6 p.m. today, Oborny said.

At its peak late Sunday, nearly 500 firefighters from several agencies fought the fire. More than 200 continued to battle it Monday, authorities said.

An airplane and two helicopters dropped fire retardant and water.