UPDATE: Brush Fires Send Smoke Across Western Riverside County

RIVERSIDE COUNTY, CA — Two brush fires are burning north of Lake Elsinore, causing smoke across western Riverside County. A third 6,400-acre fire burning in Orange County is also causing poor air quality.

A smoke advisory issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District is in effect Friday due to the wildfires, with regulators saying air quality is being affected throughout northern and central Orange County and the Long Beach area.

The AQMD's advisory, in effect through Friday morning, warned that unhealthy Air Quality Index (AQI) levels were being recorded throughout northern Orange County and the Long Beach area due to the Airport Fire, burning near the Corona Municipal Airport, and that the Bond Fire in Orange County was affecting air quality levels throughout central Orange County in cities such as Newport Beach, Irvine and Lake Forest, with AQI levels reaching the very unhealthy category in places.

The AQMD has issued a residential no-burn day alert Friday that prohibits the burning of wood and manufactured fire logs in fireplaces or any indoor or outdoor wood-burning device for those living in the South Coast Air Basin, which includes Orange County and non-desert portions of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties.

Brush Fire Updates

A brush fire burning in the unincorporated Nuevo area of Riverside County near Hemet had charred 200 acres and was 35 percent contained Friday morning as firefighters battled red-flag conditions.

The blaze, dubbed the Cerritos Fire, was reported just after 2 a.m. in the 23900 block of California Avenue, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department.

The first crews on scene reported about 10 acres of brush had burned and the fire was moving at a moderate rate of spread. By about 3:30 a.m., the fire had grown to 200 acres, the department said.

Evacuation warnings for Tres Cerritos Avenue and Los Rancherias Road in West Hemet, as well California Avenue North of Tres Cerritos Avenue, were all lifted Thursday. Several firefighters are working in the area, so residents and motorists are asked to please use caution.

Large and small animal evacuations were taken to San Jacinto Valley Animal Shelter, 581 S. Grand Avenue, San Jacinto.

A total of 180 firefighters were assigned to the fire along with water-dropping aircraft.

The cause of the blaze was unknown.

Another brush fire broke out this week in Corona near the municipal airport. The blaze had charred 750 acres and was 15 percent contained, authorities said Friday morning.

As of Friday morning, state Route 71 remained closed in both directions from SR-91 to SR-83 due to the blaze.

The fire was initially reported at 5:27 p.m. Tuesday in the 1900 block of Aviation Drive.

All evacuation orders for the "Airport" blaze have been lifted, according to the agency.

"The aggressive firefight [on the Airport Fire] continues with ground and air resources, which will be committed for an extended period of time," Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department officials reported Thursday afternoon.

A house fire ignited into a wind-driven brush fire that exploded to 6,400 acres in Orange County with 10 percent containment Friday morning. Firefighters responded to a blaze at a home on the 29400 block of Silverado Canyon Drive at just after 10:15 p.m. Wednesday, but the fire quickly spread. Over 240 firefighters were battling the blaze, dubbed the Bond Fire, as it swept to the south west. Mandatory evacuations were given to thousands of residents. Read more here.

Wildfire risks are elevated throughout the Inland Empire amid strong Santa Ana winds, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a red-flag warning that continues Thursday through Saturday.

The warning went into effect at 6 p.m. Wednesday and concludes at 10 p.m. Saturday. A high wind warning was also in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday, with forecasters noting that "damaging winds could blow down trees and power lines."

Gusts of up to 50 mph were expected Thursday in the Riverside County valleys, and 55 mph in the mountains. Only light winds were forecast for the Coachella Valley.

A similar pattern occurred during Thanksgiving and the day after.