A wildfire erupted Sunday afternoon in Riverside County, California, quickly spreading to over 1,100 acres. The fire, known as the Wolf fire, began near the intersection of Old Banning Idyllwild Road and Wolfskill Truck Trail shortly after 3 p.m. Cal Fire officials reported that about 750 residents were either ordered to evacuate or warned to prepare for possible evacuation.
As of Sunday night, the fire was only 10% contained, with around 300 firefighters on the scene. Tawny Castro, a spokesperson for Cal Fire in Riverside County, stated that the situation would be reassessed after sunrise. Four helicopters were deployed overnight for firefighting efforts, and fixed-wing aircraft were expected to assist with dropping fire retardant in the morning.
To support evacuees, an evacuation center was established at Hemet High School, located at 41701 Stetson Avenue. Additionally, an animal evacuation center was set up in San Jacinto at 581 S. Grand Avenue.
The Wolf fire was one of three fires reported in Riverside County on the same day. Another fire, referred to as the Mindy wildfire, broke out near Aguanga, burning over 70 acres but was reported to be about 50% contained by Sunday night. A third vegetation fire in Riverside city consumed more than 80 acres, leading to temporary evacuations.
The Mandalay fire, also reported on Sunday, caused heavy smoke that led residents to call 911. Firefighters were able to halt the forward progress of this fire by around 4:30 p.m., and later, mandatory evacuation orders were lifted by 9:30 p.m. Residents were allowed to return home with identification at specified intersections.
Local resident Amy Ashcraft shared her experience of watching the fire grow near her home. She began wetting down her roof when the situation escalated, ultimately leading to evacuation orders. The community remains on alert as firefighters continue to combat the flames and assess the damage.