Video: Firefighters Ignite Backfires in Banning to Protect Homes

Firefighters scrambled to set fire lines for containment of the Banning fire Wednesday evening, as the flames broke off into two fronts.

The blaze was reported about 12:40 p.m. on Mias Canyon, near Bluff Road, spreading to 1,700 acres within four hours and no containment in sight.

One firefighter suffered minor injuries and one home was damaged, with two dozen more threatened, officials said.

The Highland Springs Mobile Home Park -- with about 200 homes -- was evacuated, fire officials said.

Another area was evacuated in near Mountain Avenue in Banning.  Patch spotted crews light backfires in a field where the Banning front of the fire reached around 5 p.m. off Mountain, just north of Cypress Street.  Crews were hopeful the homes just south of the fire would be all right, as the fuel in the area was light, and a block wall and road separated the homes from the field.