Wildfire forces evacuations in the mountains south of Palm Desert

A wildfire was raging out of control Sunday in the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument, forcing a mandatory evacuation in the mountain community of Pinyon Crest, south of Palm Desert.

San Bernardino National Forest officials said Sunday afternoon that the Flats fire, first reported about 11:15 a.m., was 0% contained after burning approximately 225 acres.

Highway 74 was closed from between its junction with Highway 371 near Garner Valley and Palowet Drive in Palm Desert.

The San Bernardino National Forest, California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Riverside County Fire Department were coordinating on the blaze.

Alpine Village and Pinyon Pines were under an evacuation warning, and the Cactus Spring Trail and Pinyon and Ribbonwood campgrounds have been closed.