Firefighters are still struggling against the enormous Fairview Fire in Riverside County, which continues to scorch thousands of acres near Hemet and is now moving rapidly toward Temecula.
As of Friday morning, the wildfire sits at 27,319 acres in total, and is still only 5% contained.
A flood watch and high wind warning are in place for the area of the fire as Tropical Storm Kay moves up the Baja California coast and closer to Southern California.
The huge wildfire first sparked just after 3:30 p.m. on Monday, and in less than 24 hours killed at least two people. By Wednesday morning, it had burned about 5,000 acres, and by Wednesday night, it had exploded to over 18,000 acres, with fire crews containing 5% of the fire.
The official cause of the fire is still unknown, but Southern Califonia Edison said Wednesday that it is investigating circuit activity around the time the fire began.
Evacuations
The Riverside Fire Department along with CAL Fire have issued an evacuation order in a number of areas. The below is where there were evacuation orders in place as of 7 p.m. on Thursday, with no updates as of Friday at 6 a.m.
Click here to see an up-to-date list of evacuation orders and warnings.
- South Thornton Avenue,
- North of Polly Butte Road,
- West of Fairview,
- East of State Street,
- South of Thornton Avenue,
- North of Polly Butte Road,
- West of Fairview Avenue,
- East of State Street,
- East of State Street,
- West of Fairview,
- South of Stetson Avenue,
- North of McSweeny Parkway.
- East of State Street,
- West of Fairview Avenue,
- South of Stetson Avenue,
- North of McSweeny Parkway.
- South of McSweeney Road to North of Cactus Valley, to the end of that street,
- East of State Street,
- South of Stetson Avenue.
- North of Cactus Valley Road,
- West of Fairview Avenue, Bautista Canyon Road,
- South of Stetson,
- North of Two Streams Fork Trailhead, Bautista Canyon Road,
- South of Stetson,
- North of the Two Streams Fork trailhead
- Thomas Mountain Ridge South to Cactus Valley to Bautista to Forest Boundary,
- South of Cactus Valley Road,
- North of Minto Way,
- North of Red Mountain Road,
- West of US Forest Service Boundary and East of Sage Road,
- East Red Mountain Road and Cahuilla Mountain to USFS,
- South Minto,
- South Red Mountain Road,
- West Stanley Road,
- North Stanley Road,
- West of Wilson Way,
- South of Highway 74,
- East of Fairview Avenue,
- North of Stetson Road,
- South of Minto Way,
- South of Red Mountain Road,
- West of Stanley Road,
- North of Stanley Road,
- East of Sage Road
- South of Diamond Valley Lake,
- East of Washington Street
- North of Borel Road,
- East of Rancho California Road
- East of Anza Road
- North of Temecula Parkway (Highway 79)
- Northwest of Highway 371,
- West of Springbrook Road.
An evacuation center has been set up at Tahquitz High School in Hemet, located at 2245 Titan Trail.
Evacuees meeting at Tahquitz High School can bring their small animals with them. Animal services will assist them with their small animals.
About the Fairview Fire
The Fairview Fire was first reported around 3:37 p.m. Monday, as a brush fire on Fairview Ave. and Bautista Road.
Wind travelling in unexpected directions for the time of year caused the fire to spread rapidly down Avery Canyon.
At least two people have died while attempting to leave the of the Fairview fire. Family told NBCLA that father and daughter Ian Matthew Compton and Mikayla Porter, were the two individuals overtaken by the fire as it moved rapidly through Avery Canyon.
A third person, Ian Compton’s wife according to family, is in the hospital with major injuries.
At least seven structures have been destroyed, and a number of other structures have been damaged. More information about those damaged and destroyed buildings is expected later Tuesday.
By Tuesday morning the fire was up to 2,400 acres, and by Tuesday evening, it had doubled in size to 4,500 acres.
A boil water advisory was issued Tuesday morning by the Eastern Municipal Water District, for “residents of fire affected areas in east Hemet.”
Approximately 50 homes in the area including all of Polly Butte Road and the area east of 41477 Gibbel Road should “only use boiled tap water or bottled water for drinking and cooking purposes as a safety precaution to avoid stomach or intestinal illness,” until further notice.
All schools in the Hemet Unified School District have been closed since Tuesday due to the fire.
Over the course of Wednesday, the fire quadrupled in size, going from 5,000 acres in the early morning hours to 18,657 acres in the evening.
On Thursday, the fire grew rapidly once again, increasing to an estimated 27,319 acres in total.
Southern California Edison is investigating how the fire may have started, and put out a statement on their investigation.
“Our information reflects circuit activity occurring close in time to the reported time of the fire,” the statement read in part. “With safety as our number one priority, we continue to make progress on our wildfire mitigation efforts.”
A brutal, week-long heat wave in Southern California has not helped the dry conditions in the state that contributed to the wildfire’s rapid growth.
Fuel moisture levels are well below historic averages in parts of Southern California, meaning vegetation is drying out more quickly this year. Dry vegetation is one significant factor in the spread of wildfires.
The state came out of one of its driest late winters on record, leaving hillsides covered in dry brush.
California continues to face longer wildfire seasons as a direct result of climate change, according to CAL FIRE.
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Source: NBC Los Angeles
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