12,000 Acres, Evacs Ordered In Cherry Valley’s Apple Fire

UPDATED 10 p.m. SATURDAY

CHERRY VALLEY, CA — Three brush fires that broke out Friday afternoon in Cherry Valley have merged into one that has scorched at least 12,000 acres with zero containment and forced evacuations. One home and two outbuildings have been destroyed, with dozens of others threatened.

By Saturday night, the fire was most active near the Oak Glen Fire Camp and Mias Canyon. The immense plume of smoke was visible across Riverside County, at least as far away as southeast Murrieta.

Evacuations ordered

County officials shared an interactive map Saturday afternoon, showing ongoing evacuation orders and warnings.

Residents north of Wilson Street, east of Sunset Avenue and west of Hathaway Street in Banning were ordered to evacuate at about 2:15 p.m. as flames crept toward the neighborhood, according to the Riverside County Emergency Management Department.

About 7 p.m., residents were put on notice they should be prepared to evacuate with little notice from the area north of Morongo Road east of Millard Canyon Road, west of Whitewater Canyon Road.

Fire officials estimated that 400 residences and 2,000 people have been evacuated and said they do not have a time frame for repopulating evacuated areas.

Also under evacuation orders since Friday were residents in the Banning Bench area and those north of Cherry Valley Boulevard, between Beaumont and Highland Springs avenues, the Riverside County Fire Department said.

Meanwhile, an evacuation warning was issued at 11:16 a.m. for the Potato Canyon area, west to Raywood Flat in San Bernardino County.

A hard road closure was in place along North Sunset Avenue at Wilson Street and North San Gorgonio Avenue at Summit Drive, according to the Banning Police Department.

Fire officials said a single-family home and two outbuildings were destroyed near Avenida Miravilla, adding to the destruction of a few cars, a structure and a boat reported Friday night.

ALERT RIVCO MESSAGE #AppleFire NEW EVACUATION ORDERS issued north of Wilson St, east of Sunset Ave and west of Hathaway St. Interactive map is now available at https://t.co/wMWj2KQQ7e @CALFIRERRU @RSO @CityofBanning @BanningPolice pic.twitter.com/WtnRDUx6Cx
— RivCoReady (@RivCoReady) August 1, 2020

Ground and air attack

Initially, two possible arson fires were reported at around 4:55 p.m. Friday in the area of Apple Tree Lane and Oak Glen Road, on the north end of the unincorporated community bordering Beaumont, and merged into one by 5:45 p.m., the RCFD said.

A "significant" ground and air attack were underway on the fire, which burned into the Banning area by late Friday evening into Saturday.

A third possible arson fire was also reported in the area and had blackened 60 to 80 acres by 7 p.m., according to reports from the scene. Firefighters sent to the location encountered the three blazes coalescing in a drainage with heavy vegetation.

By early Saturday, the size of the so-called Apple Fire was estimated at 1,900 acres. It had grown to at least 12,000 acres by Saturday evening.

Evacuation orders were in place for residents south of the Riverside/San Bernardino county line, north of Dutton Street and east of Oak Glen Road, and north of Gilman Street in the Banning Bench area, the fire agency said. Orders to leave were also underway for residents in the Banning Bench area via North Sunset Avenue at Wilson Street and North San Gorgonio Avenue at Summit Drive, according to the Banning Police Department.

Additional evacuations are also ordered for residents north of Cherry Valley Boulevard, west of Highland Springs Avenue and east of Beaumont Avenue, the fire department said late Saturday.

An evacuation center has been opened at Beaumont High School, 39139 Cherry Valley Boulevard. The campus is also housing large and small animals that have been evacuated, and animal control personnel are assisting with efforts, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

Crews battling the Apple Fire include 375 firefighters and 52 engine companies. Four helicopters, seven air tankers, two bulldozers and a water tender were being used.

Hundreds of homes have been evacuated and people were seen moving horses and other livestock out of the area that includes many ranch properties.

Fire officials say one residence and two outbuildings have been damaged or destroyed in the blaze.

Oak Glen and Wildwood Canyon roads, Avenida Miravilla, Avenida San Timoteo, and Orchard Street, and Highland Springs Avenue at Oak Valley Parkway are closed due to the fire, according to the California Highway Patrol. The Banning Bench area, via North Sunset Avenue at Wilson Street, and North San Gorgonio Avenue at Summit Drive, were also closed, according to the Banning Police Department.

At the request of the fire department, Southern California Edison turned off electricity along Oak Glen Road and on surrounding side streets to prevent additional fires from breaking out as burned power poles collapsed and dropped transmission lines. The practice, known as a "public safety power shutoff," has left hundreds without power.

Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department spokesperson Jody Hagemann said there is no word on what caused the fire.

Witnesses called 911 as the fires started, saying a man was seen walking along Apple Tree Lane, igniting each blaze, according to a report from City News Service.

Along with Cal Fire crews from Riverside and San Bernardino counties, fire crews from Anaheim, Brea, Calimesa, Cathedral City, Costa Mesa, Hemet, Huntington Beach, Fullerton, Morongo, Murrieta, Newport Beach, Orange County, Palm Springs, Pechanga, San Manuel, Soboba, and the U.S. Forest Service were assisting.

Check back for updates.

Patch staffers Renee Schiavone and Nick Garber and Paige Austin and City News Service contributed reporting.