DESERT HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) -- Firefighters battled an 1,800-acre blaze Saturday that swept through steep canyon terrain in northern Riverside County, officials said.
The fire was sparked by a hiker's cooking fire Wednesday night and was 30 percent contained Friday night, said Capt. Rick Vogt, a spokesman for the California Department of Forestry.
Firefighters had to hike several miles or be transported by helicopter to fight the blaze, which burned up and down rugged slopes along the popular Pacific Crest Trail. They faced low humidity and mild winds blowing from the east.
``We're in the process of establishing a line, and obviously weather permitting, we should be OK,'' spokesman Jim Boano said.
Firefighters hoped to surround the flames by Saturday evening, and full containment was expected over the weekend, officials said.
The fire in Whitewater Canyon was about a half-mile southwest of a fish hatcher, but did not threaten any homes.
An Ohio woman was cited for accidentally causing the fire. Her male hiking companion was not cited. Their names were withheld.
