Evacuation Orders Downgraded For RivCo Brush Fires As Crews Slow Spread

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Fire crews achieved 60 percent containment Thursday night of a brush fire that erupted in the Santa Ana River bottom in Jurupa Valley and were continuing to make progress on another blaze near Homeland.

The Bain Fire, the largest of the two blazes, has charred 1,497 acres since it erupted Tuesday morning on the north side of the dry channel, in the area of Bain Street and Limonite Avenue, prompting the mandatory evacuation of dozens of homes that were threatened, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

With active flames no longer an imminent threat,
evacuation orders for the Bain Fire were downgraded to warnings for properties in the vicinity of the brush fire.

Four people were injured, including three people who suffered smoke inhalation, and another person who was transported to a local hospital with unknown injuries.

RELATED: Evacuation Orders In Effect As Fire Crews Try To Contain RivCo Brush Fires

Two zones where evacuation warnings were issued for the Verona Fire were cancelled Thursday evening.

Because of the Bain and Verona fires, officials urged residents to foster animals that are in county shelters. The fires prompted the evacuation of impounded pets at the Western Riverside County Animal Shelter. All of them were taken to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus, which officials said currently is "extremely overcrowded."

A care and reception center for the Bain Fire was set up at Skyview Event Center at 5257 Wineville Avenue in Jurupa Valley to help evacuees with temporary shelter, food, water, reunification assistance, and additional support. Animal Services will also be at the center with mobile kennels to help evacuees who have pets.

Motorists were urged to use extreme caution when traveling through the areas as firefighters continue battling the blaze along highways.

Firefighters also continued battling the Verona Fire in the unincorporated area of Green Acres. The wind-driven brush fire has scorched more than 648 acres since it erupted, and destroyed outbuildings and other structures as it quickly spread Tuesday evening. As of 3 p.m. Thursday, the blaze was at 38 percent containment, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

Around 7 p.m. Wednesday, fire officials said evacuation orders for the Verano Fire had been downgraded to warnings east of Minton Road between Juniper Flats and Highway 74, except near the perimeter of the fire.

A care and reception center was set up at 2700 W. Johnston Avenue to help evacuees with temporary shelter, food, water, reunification assistance, and additional support.

RELATED: Hundreds Of Acres Burning In Riverside County Due To Wildfires

The agency said numerous engine and hand crews from the county, Riverside Fire Department, Corona Fire Department, Ontario Fire Department and other agencies were sent to the Bain Fire, encountering wind-driven flames moving through thick brush.

The flames spread toward groups of homes in the area of Arlington and Western avenues in Riverside, leading to evacuation orders for dozens of residences around that intersection, including adjacent ones that intersect Sunnyvale Drive, Mountain High Drive, Western Avenue and Western Hills Drive. Evacuation warnings were also issued for additional neighborhoods in the area of Sandy Lane and Valley Drive. Specific locations were identifiable via a digital map at protect.genasys.com/search.

On Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced his office was working with local and state partners to support efforts to fight the Bain Fire, and secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant (FMAG) from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to provide resources to battle the brush fire.

The Riverside County brush fires were among several raging in Southern California as wildfire season picks up, including the Sandy Fire in Simi Valley which has scorched more than 2,100 acres as of Thursday morning and forced more than 44,000 residents to evacuate.

Three Cal Fire water-dropping helicopters and four air tankers initiated runs on the Bain Fire on Tuesday. Two choppers with night-flying capability were assigned to the blaze.

Riverside Police Department officers and sheriff's deputies implemented hard road closures for public safety along Arlington, between Hidden Valley Nature Center Drive and Western Hills Drive on Tuesday. Later in the afternoon, closures were also put into effect on Van Buren Boulevard, between Jurupa Avenue and Clay Street, in addition to Tyler Street at Jurupa Avenue.

There was no word on what might have triggered the Bain Fire. The river bottom is teeming with homeless encampments, and debris, cooking and warming fires occur year-round.

For a searchable map of the evacuation areas, visit: go.genasys.com/b6u2z5

City News Service contributed to this report.