4 separate wildfires burn more than 8,000 acres in Riverside County
LAKEVIEW, Calif. (KABC) -- Firefighters on Saturday continued battling a stubborn 7,600-acre brush fire in Lakeview, one of four wildfires that have erupted since Friday amid scorching temperatures in Riverside County.
Rabbit Fire in Lakeview
Crews continued to fight the raging wildfire throughout the day Saturday.
But despite their best efforts, the wildfire has burned at least 3,000 more acres and is 5% contained.
The fire was 5% contained earlier in the day Saturday, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
Cal Fire announced two new evacuation orders at 3:40 p.m. Saturday. The first area being North and West of Highway 79 (Lambs Canyon), East of California Avenue and South of First Street. And the second being North of County Landfill (Lamb Canyon Road), East of Highway 79 (Lambs Canyon), South of E. First Street and West of Manzanita Park Road.
Additional evacuation warnings have been issued as well.
Earlier Saturday, an evacuation order was issued around 11:15 a.m. Saturday for the area north of Gilman Springs Road, east of Jack Rabbit Trail, south of First Street and west of California Avenue and Highway 79. An evacuation warning was issued north and west of Highway 79, south of First Street and east of California Avenue, according to the fire department.
It was not immediately clear how many people were affected by the evacuation orders and warnings.
The Rabbit Fire was reported shortly before 3:30 p.m. Friday in the area of Jack Rabbit Trail and Allesandro Boulevard, just east of Mystic Lake and roughly halfway between Moreno Valley and San Jacinto, according to the fire department.
California Highway Patrol officers and sheriff's deputies diverted northbound vehicles away from Gilman Springs Road and onto Bridge Street, an officer said. Additional road closure were in place for Highway 79 in the Lambs Canyon area from Gilman Springs Road to California Avenue.
Gavilan Fire in Gavilan Hills
A brush fire reported at 3:28 p.m. Saturday has now burned 250 acres and is 25% contained, with forward progress stopped, according to Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire.
It was initially reported to be burning five acres earlier Saturday.
At 5:20 p.m. an evacuation order has been issued for the area of east of Gavilan Road, north of Santa Rosa Mine Road, west of Crescent Canyon Drive, west of Homestead Road and south of Gustin Road.
At 6 p.m., the evacuation order was expanded to east of Norbert, north of El Nido, west of Lee/San Jacinto and south of Gustin.
A care center has been set up for evacuees at Martin Luther King High School at 9301 Wood Rd. in Riverside.
Reche Fire in Moreno Valley
The Reche Fire erupted in a canyon north of Moreno Valley and burned 437 acres, claimed at least one home and prompted precautionary evacuations before crews slowed it down, authorities said Saturday.
The fire was reported about 1 p.m. Friday in the area of Reche Canyon Road and High Country Drive, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. Containment was 50% on Saturday afternoon.
Multiple engine and hand crews from the Riverside County Fire Department, Idyllwild Fire Protection District, Cal Fire-San Bernardino County and other agencies were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a rapid rate through medium brush.
The area where the blaze started is lightly populated, with both single-family dwellings and mobile homes. However, the fire was pointed in the direction of a larger community bordering the Badlands.
An evacuation order was issued impacting residences south of Reche Canyon, north of Alta Vista Drive, west of Locust Avenue and east of Reche Vista Drive.
The evacuation order was reduced to a warning shortly after 8 p.m. Friday.
At the height of the blaze, at least six Cal Fire air tankers and six water-dropping helicopters made runs on the flames, successfully slowing their advance and enabling crews to start tightening up gaps.
As of 4 p.m. Saturday, Cal Fire announced new road closures due to the fire, Reche Vista and Heacock to the south, as well as Reche Vista and Reche Canyon to the north are now closed.
Highland Fire in Beaumont
The Highland Fire broke out just south of the 10 Freeway in Beaumont on Friday, spreading across 105 acres within hours. It was reported about 3 p.m. along Highland Springs Avenue and Sunningdale Street, near Breckenridge Avenue, officials said.
Evacuations on the southern edge of the city remained in place Saturday, and he fire was 70% contained.
Engine and hand crews from several departments, including the Soboba Reservation Fire Department, were sent to the location and encountered flames moving at a "critical rate," according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency initially indicated that the fire had grown to 225 acres within about an hour, but the size was later downgraded thanks to "more accurate mapping," an official said.
Cal Fire air tankers and water-dropping helicopters were requested and diverted from the larger Reche Fire that was slowing late Friday afternoon.
The flames were on the outer rim of the subdivision between Highland Springs to the west and Sunningdale Street to the east, and an evacuation order for those residences was issued shortly after 4 p.m. Friday, according to the fire department.
All evacuations had been lifted as of 9 p.m Friday, a department official said.
City News Service contributed to this report.
Tracking California's wildfires
To see updated information on other wildfires throughout California, please see ABC7's California Wildfire Tracker.
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