Firefighters contain brush fire near French Valley

Firefighters were able to contain a car fire that spread to nearby brush Sunday afternoon north of French Valley. The fire was reported about 12:45 p.m., according to information from a California Highway Patrol incident log. A witness reported seeing a vehicle "catch on fire and explode," and flames began to affect nearby grass, according to the CHP. The fire was about six to eight acres in size as of about 1:20 p.m., and multiple crews including an aircraft were responding, the Riverside County Fire Department said on Twitter. An hour later, the fire was reported at 15 acres. As of about 2:15 p.m. both lanes of northbound Winchester Road were closed at Scott Road with traffic being allowed to continue in the center divide, and northbound Washington Street was closed near Kell