Cranston Fire in Idyllwild area grows to 12,300 acres on 3rd day; 16 percent contained
IDYLLWILD, Calif. (KABC) -- The Cranston Fire, in Riverside County's Idyllwild area, has grown to 12,300 acres on its third day of devastation amid hot, dry weather conditions.
According to fire officials on Friday, approximately 6,000 people remain evacuated and 4,830 structures are threatened.
The containment on the blaze increased to 16 percent by Friday evening.
Cranston Fire map: Where Idyllwild brush fire is burning
Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency and ordered California's Office of Emergency Services to provide government assistance to Riverside County Thursday, and suspended a one-week waiting period for unemployment insurance benefits for those unemployed as a result of the Cranston Fire.
The blaze began about noon Wednesday as the result of arson, according to authorities. A Temecula man, 32-year-old Brandon N. McGlover, was later arrested and booked on five counts for allegedly igniting several fires in Riverside County. His bail was set at $1 million.
The Riverside County Sheriff's Department conducted evacuations in the following areas:
- Apple Canyon Area
- Cedar Glen
- Camp Scherman Girl Scout Camp
- Fern Valley
- Garner Valley
- Hurkey Creek Area
- Idyllwild
- Lake Hemet Area
- Mountain Center Community
- Mt San Jacinto State Park
- Pine Cove
An evacuation center has been setup at Banning High School (100 W. Westward Ave. Banning).
Some 1,000 firefighters were at the scene east of Hemet, where the brushfire was burning along Highway 74, fueled by timber, brush, and chaparral as high as 6 feet.
Two firefighters suffered unknown injuries.
The fire also caused power outages for about 4,000 people in Idyllwild, according to SoCal Edison on Thursday. The community was shrouded in smoke as firefighters were concerned the blaze could make it into the area.
The power outage affected businesses that remained open despite being under evacuation orders. One business owner went over his inventory and removed any items that had melted or gone bad because of the lack of electricity.
But by Friday afternoon, most customers in the Idyllwild area had their power restored, according to Edison. Many in the Anza area remained without power.
At Lake Hemet, the waterfront was empty of campers but helicopters and tankers populated the area, constantly gathering water to make drops on the blaze.
The emergency personnel represented a slew of agencies, including Cal Fire, the Riverside and Los Angeles County fire departments and the San Bernardino National Forest agency.
They were assisted by fire-retardant drops from air tankers and a decrease in wind conditions in the area on Friday.
Brown's declaration also applied to Shasta County, where the Carr Fire has burned more than 44,000 acres and has taken the life of a Redding firefighter and bulldozer operator.
Road Closures
HWY 74 from the City of Hemet to HWY 371 at Paradise Corner
HWY 243 from Banning to intersection of HWY 243 and HWY 74
Recreation Closures
Mt. San Jacinto State Park:
Desert View Trail
Little Round Valley Campground
Long Valley Trail
Mountain Station
Palm Springs Aerial Tramway
Round Valley Campground
Round Valley Trail
San Jacinto Peak Trail
Strawberry Junction Campground
Tamarack Valley Campground
Wellmans Divide Trail
San Bernardino National Forest:
Black Mountain Group Campground
Boulder Basin Campground
Cedar Springs Trail 4EI7
Dark Canyon Campground
Deer Springs Campground
Deer Springs Trail to Suicide Rock 3E17 to 3E33
Devil's Slide Trail
Ernie Maxwell Scenic Trail 3E07
Fern Basin Campground
Fobes Trail 4E04
Fuller Ridge
Humber Park
Hurkey Creek Campground
Lake Fulmor Day Use Area
Lake Hemet Picnic Area
Little Round Valley Campground
Marion Mountain Campground
Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) N of State Highway 74
San Jacinto Wilderness
Seven Pines Trail 2E13
Skunk Cabbage Trail 3E42
South Ridge Trail 3E08
Spitler Peak Trail 3E22
Stone Creek Yellow Post Sites
Strawberry Creek
Tahquitz Peak Fire Lookout
Animal Shelters
Residents can call 951-358-7329 for direct assistance with moving animals.
- Large animals can be dropped off to Dysart Equestrian Park - 2101 W Victory Ave in Banning.
- Small Animals can also be dropped off at Dysart Equestrian Park - 2101 W. Victory Ave. in Banning. Animal Services will transfer them to the San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.
- San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus at 581 S. Grand in San Jacinto is accepting all animals, both domestic and large animals.
- All animals (large and small) also accepted at San Jacinto Valley Animal Campus.
- Coachella Valley Animal Campus located at 72050 Pet Land Place in Thousand Palms is open for small animals only.
