Update: Gopher Fire in Riverside County - 25% containment reached
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Updated: 5:09 p.m. May 2
First discovered: 2 hours ago, 2:39 p.m. May 2
Initial location: Highway 79 and Sage Road, Aguanga, Riverside County, Calif.
Fire unit: Unified Command: Cal Fire Riverside Unit and Cleaveland National Forest
Fire type: Wildfire
Fire name: Gopher Fire
Gopher Fire initially started today at 2:39 p.m. at Highway 79 and Sage Road, Aguanga in Riverside County, California.
It has burned 67 acres after being active for two hours. By Saturday evening, the fire crew managed to contain 25% of the fire. The cause of it remains under investigation.
See live video from the area:
Https://ops.alertcalifornia.org/cam-console/Axis-Elsinore1
Fire containment
What does it mean for a fire to be 25% contained?
The percentage indicates how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded by a control line. In this case, it means that 25% of the wildfire is halted from spreading, while 75% is still uncontrolled.
Containment is part of a larger plan for managing a wildfire. It is normally expressed as a percentage and it refers to how much of the fire perimeter has been surrounded/enclosed by a control line that firefighters create. The containment percentage indicates a certain level of control, but it doesn't always correlate to safety level. Also, it's important to note that containment doesn't mean a fire is out.
How is containment measured?
The incident's central command constantly receives progress reports from firefighters on the ground. As the fireline is constructed, inspected or reinforced, mappers record those details to adjust the containment percentage. The percentage tells the public how much of the fire perimeter is believed to not go beyond the control lines.
Source: Cal Fire
United Robots Sacramento
This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 3:10 PM.