New brush fire burning in Pinyon Pines area dubbed the 'Ribbon Fire'

A brush fire that broke out near Pinyon Pines today as hundreds of fire personnel were busy battling a 7,500-acre blaze to the north blackened about 200 acres.

The Ribbon Fire was reported at 10:12 a.m. near state Route 74 and Ribbonwood Drive, according to Tawny Cabral of the Riverside County Fire Department, who said it was burning ``at a moderate rate of spread.''

No injuries were immediately reported, nor was there any word on what sparked the blaze.

Evacuation warnings were issued for Alpine Village, Pinyon Crest, Pinyon Pines and the Pinyon Flatts campground.

The fire, which was 5 percent contained as of 7:30 p.m., is separate from the 7,500-acre Cranston Fire, which has kept local firefighters busy since it began around noon Wednesday in the forest between Hemet and Mountain Center.

A Temecula man, Brandon N. McGlover, 32, was arrested shortly after it started on suspicion of five counts of arson to wildland.

Around 3,200 residents have been evacuated from Idyllwild, Mountain Center and other surrounding communities due to the suspected arson-caused fire, which has destroyed five homes and was also 5 percent contained as of Thursday evening.