Palm tree fire prompts evacuations in Woodcrest area

WOODCREST (CNS) -- Firefighters have managed to stop the forward progress of a fire that burned a grove of palm trees in the unincorporated community of Woodcrest Saturday, prompting an evacuation order for a nearby neighborhood.

The 1.5-acre blaze was reported at 12:16 p.m. in the 15000 block of Cartwright Drive, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
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Fire officials said the flames were burning near structures, and as a precaution the area south of John F. Kennedy Drive, north of Van Buren Boulevard, east of Porter Avenue and west of Dauchy Avenue was evacuated.

An evacuation center was set up at Riverside's Martin Luther King High School at 9301 Wood Road.

Authorities said personnel from the Riverside County Department of Animal Services were at the evacuation center to assist with any pets who were evacuated.
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