Hundreds Of Acres Burning In Riverside County Due To Wildfires

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Brush fires prompted widespread evacuations on Tuesday in Riverside County, and there are reports of injuries.

CHECK TO SEE IF YOU ARE IN AN EVACUATION AREA.

The largest blaze, dubbed the Bain Fire, erupted Tuesday in the Santa Ana River bottom in Jurupa Valley. As of 8 p.m., it had charred 907 acres and threatened dozens of homes in Riverside, leaving four people injured and prompting mandatory evacuations. There was zero containment.

The blaze was reported at 11:24 a.m. Tuesday on the north side of the dry channel, in the area of Bain Street and Limonite Avenue, just north of the Hidden Valley Nature Center, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

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 location, 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 in effect 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.

Three residents suffered smoke inhalation, while another person suffered unspecified traumatic injuries, according to reports from the scene. All the victims were transported to Riverside Community Hospital for treatment.

An evacuation reception center was established at the La Sierra Senior Center, 5215 La Sierra Ave. in Riverside.

Three Cal Fire water-dropping helicopters and four air tankers initiated runs on the brusher just after 1 p.m. Two choppers with night-flying capability were assigned to the blaze. They were slated to remain in operation most of the night.

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. 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.

The Western Riverside County Animal Shelter at Clay Street and Van Buren Boulevard in Jurupa Valley was under an evacuation warning.

Power lines were down in the immediate vicinity of the river bottom, increasing dangers for firefighters and residents. The lines were reportedly de-energized for safety. It was unclear how many SoCal Edison and Riverside Public Utilities customers were without electricity.

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

Another wind-driven brush fire, which broke out Tuesday north of Homeland, scorched roughly 600 acres as of 7:30 p.m., destroyed outbuildings, threatened multiple homes and a mobile home park, and prompted mandatory evacuations and warnings.

The non-injury blaze, dubbed the Verona Fire, was reported at 12:20 p.m. on a hillside in the area of Juniper Springs and Juniper Flats roads, north of Highway 74, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department. As of 8 p.m., there was zero containment on the blaze.

The blaze was burning at a critical rate of spread Tuesday night, with additional evacuation warnings issued.

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

The cause of the fire was not immediately known.

A separate non-injury blaze was reported at 4 p.m. Tuesday adjacent to southbound Interstate 215 at Newport Road in Menifee, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The fire burned about an acre and prompted a partial closure of the freeway until it was stopped.

A Sigalert was issued at 4:30 p.m. due to snarled traffic conditions that led some motorists to attempt to make U-turns on the freeway and use shoulder space to exit.

The fire was contained at 5 p.m., and one southbound lane was reopened to get traffic moving again, according to the CHP.

The cause of the fire was under investigation.

Late Tuesday afternoon, a Perris fire caused significant damage and left a firefighter with injuries. Read more about the incident: Firefighter Injured In Blaze That Engulfed Home, Storage Facility And Commercial Building In Perris

In nearby San Bernardino County, a brush fire was burning in Chino Hills on Tuesday.

The 11-acre Willow Fire was reported around 12:37 p.m. at 4600 Soquel Canyon Parkway.

According to city officials, evacuation warnings were issued but lifted at 12:45 p.m.

—City News Service contributed to this report.